DR. FRITZ SAUTER (Counsel for Defendants Funk and Schirach): I request permission to put the following questions, on behalf of the Defendant Funk.
[Turning to the witness.] The Defendant Funk joined the Party in the summer of 1931. At that time, as you know, he was the editor-in-chief of the Berliner Börsenzeitung. Is it known to you that in this capacity he enjoyed a particular prestige with the press and in German economic circles?
GÖRING: I know that at that time Funk and his economic articles in the Börsenzeitung were highly thought of and that he had many connections in economic circles.
DR. SAUTER: We have heard that the Defendant Funk is accused of having promoted the coming to power of the Party through his activities, and I would be interested in hearing from you whether Funk, before the coming to power of the Party, played any role whatsoever in the Party; or is it correct to say that after resigning as editor-in-chief of the Berliner Börsenzeitung he brought out a so-called economic-political information service, not for the Party, but for all economic circles, including the German People’s Party?
GÖRING: May I request that the question be put perhaps more precisely; this is a whole narration. But I can reply briefly. Before the seizure of power I was acquainted only with Funk’s activity as editor of the Börsenzeitung, which I have already mentioned. And as such I heard him repeatedly mentioned in economic circles. Only after the seizure did I hear at all of Funk’s having been in the Party and of his relationship with it. Thus, his Party activity could not have been of such tremendous significance or he would have come to my attention in some way. So far as his information service is concerned, whether he favored the Democrats or the People’s Party, I know nothing about that.
DR. SAUTER: Then after the seizure of power, Funk became Press Chief of the Reich Government. That is known to you?
GÖRING: Yes.
DR. SAUTER: Then subsequently he became State Secretary in the Reich Propaganda Ministry. That is also known to you?
GÖRING: Yes.
DR. SAUTER: Now I would be interested to know what his work was as Press Chief of the Reich Government. Had Funk in this work any influence on the decisions of the Reich Cabinet?