e) Schacht participated in the persecution of Jews and in the plunder of territories occupied by the Germans.
Therefore, Schacht’s leading part in the preparation and execution of the common criminal plan is proved.
The decision to acquit Schacht is in obvious contradiction with existing evidence.
II. The Unfounded Acquittal of Defendant Von Papen.
The verdict does not dispute the fact that Von Papen prepared the way for Hitler’s appointment to the post of the Reich Chancellor and that he actively helped the Nazis in their seizure of power.
In a speech of November 1933, Von Papen said the following on the subject:
“. . . just as I at the time of taking over the Chancellorship (this was in 1932) have advocated to pave the way to power for the young fighting liberation movement, just as I on 30 January was selected by a gracious fate to put the hands of our Chancellor and Führer into the hands of our beloved Field Marshal, so do I today again feel the obligation to say to the German People and all those who have kept confidence in me:
“The kind Lord has blessed Germany by giving it in times of deep distress a leader . . . .” (PS-3375).
It was Von Papen who revoked Bruning’s order dissolving the SS and the SA, thus allowing the Nazis to realize their program of mass terror (D-631).
Again it was the defendant who, by the application of brute force, did away with the Social Democrat Government of Braun and Severing (Severing’s Testimony, Transcript, Afternoon Session, 14 June 1946).