The Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft, or Circle of Friends of the Economy (which became known as "Freundeskreis Reichsführer SS", "Freundeskreis Himmler" or "Keppler Circle") was a group of German industrialists whose aim was to strengthen the ties between the Nazi Party and business and industry. The group was formed and co-ordinated by Wilhelm Keppler, one of Adolf Hitler's close economic advisors.
Keppler, who had been a member of the NSDAP since 1927, formed the Circle after Hitler's request in 1932 for the formation of a "study group on economic questions".[1] Members were not initially expected to be party members (though many later joined the party), and portrayed the group as "palaver" and an "innocuous gentleman's club".[2] The size of the group never exceeded 40 members.[1] Groups represented included manufacturing, banking, and SS officials.[3]
The group became associated with Heinrich Himmler, a friend of Keppler, beginning in 1935.[2] From 1936 to 1944, the members of the circle donated approximately 1 million Marks a year to Himmler for uses "outside the budget".[1] One use of the money was to fund the Ahnenerbe, which conducted Aryan historical and eugenicist research.[2] It also sponsored the Jewish skull collection, when 86 victims were selected at Auschwitz , then murdered using Zyklon B gas at Natzweiler concentration camp and the corpses shipped to Reichsuniversität Straßburg for defleshing and ultimately public display by Professor August Hirt. The project stopped at this stage when Germany lost the war.
At least some members of the group, such as Friedrich Flick, later benefited from the NSDAP's policy of aryanization of Jewish-owned competitors.[2]
William Keppler and Karl Rasche were sentenced to 10 years and 7 years in prison, respectively following the Ministries Trial at Nuremberg in 1949. Rasche was released from prison in 1950, while Keppler was released in February 1951.
^ abcdSutton, Antony C. (2010-11-01). "Chapter 9: Wall Street and the Nazi Inner Circle". Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler. CLAIRVIEW BOOKS. ISBN9781905570270.
^ abcdeStallbaumer, L. M. . Dimensions: A Journal of Holocaust Studies. 13 (2). Anti-Defamation League. Archived from the original on 2017-02-15. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
^ abcdefghijkBerghoff, Hartmut; Rauh, Cornelia (2015-05-30). The Respectable Career of Fritz K.: The Making and Remaking of a Provincial Nazi Leader. Berghahn Books. pp. 62–63. ISBN9781782385943.
^Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals(PDF). Vol. VI: The Flick Case. United States Government Printing Office. 1952. p. 287.
^"The Righteous Among The Nations". Yad Vashem. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
January 01, 1970
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The Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft or Circle of Friends of the Economy which became known as Freundeskreis Reichsfuhrer SS Freundeskreis Himmler or Keppler Circle was a group of German industrialists whose aim was to strengthen the ties between the Nazi Party and business and industry The group was formed and co ordinated by Wilhelm Keppler one of Adolf Hitler s close economic advisors Contents 1 Role and development 2 Post war fate 3 Members 4 See also 5 ReferencesRole and development edit nbsp Wilhelm Keppler Keppler who had been a member of the NSDAP since 1927 formed the Circle after Hitler s request in 1932 for the formation of a study group on economic questions 1 Members were not initially expected to be party members though many later joined the party and portrayed the group as palaver and an innocuous gentleman s club 2 The size of the group never exceeded 40 members 1 Groups represented included manufacturing banking and SS officials 3 The group became associated with Heinrich Himmler a friend of Keppler beginning in 1935 2 From 1936 to 1944 the members of the circle donated approximately 1 million Marks a year to Himmler for uses outside the budget 1 One use of the money was to fund the Ahnenerbe which conducted Aryan historical and eugenicist research 2 It also sponsored the Jewish skull collection when 86 victims were selected at Auschwitz then murdered using Zyklon B gas at Natzweiler concentration camp and the corpses shipped to Reichsuniversitat Strassburg for defleshing and ultimately public display by Professor August Hirt The project stopped at this stage when Germany lost the war At least some members of the group such as Friedrich Flick later benefited from the NSDAP s policy of aryanization of Jewish owned competitors 2 Post war fate edit nbsp Friedrich Flick during the Nuremberg Trials nbsp Heinrich Butefisch in charge at Monowitz works nbsp Otto Ohlendorf testifies at the Einsatzgruppen trial 9 October 1947 nbsp Oswald Pohl receives his sentence of death by hanging at Nuremberg trials Richard Kaselowsky was killed during an American air raid in 1944 Fritz Kranefuss Emil Heinrich Meyer Albert Vogler and Fritz Kranefuss committed suicide at the end of the war William Keppler and Karl Rasche were sentenced to 10 years and 7 years in prison respectively following the Ministries Trial at Nuremberg in 1949 Rasche was released from prison in 1950 while Keppler was released in February 1951 Friederich Flick and Otto Steinbrinck were sentenced to 7 years and 5 years respectively at the Flick trial Flick was released from prison in 1950 while Steinbrinck died in prison in 1949 2 Oswald Pohl and Otto Ohlendorf were both executed in 1951 after being convicted at the Pohl trial and the Einsatzgruppen trial respectively Members editMembers of the group included 1 4 From manufacturing Fritz Kranefuss Keppler s nephew and member of the board at Brabag Kurt Baron von Schroder and Emil Heinrich Meyer ITT Corporation executives August Rosterg the General Director of Wintershall Otto Steinbrinck the vice president of Vereinigte Stahlwerke AG Emil Helfferich board chair of the German American Petroleum Company Friederich Flick chair of Flick KG 3 Ewald Hecker chair of Ilseder Hutte Albert Vogler of Vereinigte Stahlwerke 3 Heinrich Butefisch of IG Farben 3 Karl Lindemann de of Norddeutsche Lloyd 3 Hans Walz head of Robert Bosch GmbH 3 and later honored by Yad Vashem for his work to save Jews from the Holocaust 5 Richard Kaselowsky manager of Dr Oetker From banking Hjalmar Schacht president of the Reichsbank Karl Rasche board member of the Dresdner Bank 3 Friedrich Reinhart chairman of the board at Commerzbank 3 From politics and the SS Carl Vincent Krogmann and Gottfried Graf von Bismarck Schonhausen political figures Oswald Pohl head of the Administrative and Economic office of the SS 3 Franz Hayler and Otto Ohlendorf of the Reich Group for Commerce and Trade 3 group secretary Fritz Kranefuss a former employee of Keppler s and member of Himmler s personal staff 3 group financial manager Kurt Baron von SchroderSee also editSecret Meeting of 20 February 1933 Industrielleneingabe Private sector participation in Nazi crimesReferences edit a b c d Sutton Antony C 2010 11 01 Chapter 9 Wall Street and the Nazi Inner Circle Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler CLAIRVIEW BOOKS ISBN 9781905570270 a b c d e Stallbaumer L M Frederick Flick s Opportunism and Expediency Dimensions A Journal of Holocaust Studies 13 2 Anti Defamation League Archived from the original on 2017 02 15 Retrieved 2017 02 14 a b c d e f g h i j k Berghoff Hartmut Rauh Cornelia 2015 05 30 The Respectable Career of Fritz K The Making and Remaking of a Provincial Nazi Leader Berghahn Books pp 62 63 ISBN 9781782385943 Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals PDF Vol VI The Flick Case United States Government Printing Office 1952 p 287 The Righteous Among The Nations Yad Vashem Retrieved 2017 03 20 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft amp oldid 1215878397, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
