SCHACHT: No.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: Now, I quote your letter of the 17th of October 1940 to the Reich Minister of Economics, Document EC-504, USA-830. At that time you had ceased to be President of the Reichsbank, had you not?
SCHACHT: Yes. I was only a minister without portfolio.
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: “So that the German banks in the occupied western territories need not work side-by-side, or rather against each other, you had assigned the Deutsche Bank the task of clearing the way for closer economic co-operation with Holland; and you entrusted the Dresdner Bank with the same task for Belgium.”
And you go on to describe that situation and say:
“In order to remove this difficulty, you, Herr Reich Minister, have agreed that the undersigned comply with the requests of both banking houses for a decisive expression of opinion in this question. I have subsequently discussed the situation with both banks and it was confirmed in the course of the conversation that at present there is no tendency on the part of Dutch or Belgian financial institutions to enter into general ties with the German business men.”
Do you recall?
SCHACHT: Yes, I remember it, now that you have read it to me. May I make a statement, or what was your question?
MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: I just wondered if you remembered that.
SCHACHT: Yes, and I ask permission to make a statement. It concerns...