The Tribunal will be informed about a study of a certain Michel, Chief of the Administrative General Staff on Economic Questions, deputy to the German commanding officer in France, which brings out the extent of the dictatorship of the Reich over the occupied countries in economic matters. The control of the enterprises in occupied countries was assured by civil or military officials who were on the spot and also, later on, by similar German enterprises, which had become their “Paten-Firma.”
To give an example of this economic domination, here are the orders received by an important French company. This involves the Thomson-Houston Company, and I present a letter to the Tribunal under Document Number RF-106 in the French documentation, which is addressed to this establishment. It is dated Paris, 8 October 1943.
“Société des Procédés Thomson-Houston, 173 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris.
“You are fully responsible for the punctual, careful, and reasonable filling of the German orders which are passed to you, both as regards the giver of the order and my office, which is the competent agency for all orders given to France.
“To facilitate for you the execution of your obligations, the firm of the Allgemeine Elektricitäts Gesellschaft, Berlin (NW 40), Friederich-Karl-Ufer 2-4, is designated by me as the ‘Paten-Firma.’ I attach the greatest importance to close collaboration on technical matters with the above-mentioned firm. The Paten-Firma will have the following functions:
“1) To co-operate in the establishment of your production plan to utilize your capacities;