Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft

The Friends of Reichsführer- SS, as a friend of the Reich Leader SS and Himmler Circle of Friends, formerly known as " Keppler Circle " was a group of German industrialists with the aim to influence the economic policies of the "Third Reich".

The Keppler Circle

The friends fell in 1933 from the Wilhelm Keppler, a member of the NSDAP since 1927, founded at the instigation of Hitler in the spring of 1932, " Study Group for Economic Affairs " show. In June 1932 Keppler, Hitler presented about 20 members of the loose circle. Secretary of the group was Kranefuß Fritz (1900-1945), a former employee Keppler. The Keppler Circle dealt with the creation of an economic and financial program for the NSDAP. In three sub-committees ( financial, industrial and general economic questions ) were designed numerous memoranda. According to the historian Dirk Stegmann has to look for important policy decisions of the later Nazi economic policy in the Keppler circle the nucleus. From the Keppler Circle came from the initiative to industrial input.

The members are considered later winner of the linearization. The historian Hans -Ulrich Thamer judges that these Nazism related industrial circles with few exceptions, until 1933, " only the business community from the second and third link in the iron and steel industry belonged ".

Members of the Keppler Circle

The original Keppler Circle had, according to Emil Helfferich following members:

The historian Henry Ashby Turner also mentions:

The Friends of the Reichsführer -SS

After the transfer of authority to the Keppler Circle of Friends Reichsführer- SS was transformed. The members donated 1935-1944 annually about 1 million Reichsmark to the Reichsführer- SS Heinrich Himmler. For the " Special Account S" was established at the JH Stein Bank in Cologne, as seen from the letter dated 25 February 1936 by Otto Steinbrinck and Kurt Freiherr von Schröder to Emil Heinrich Meyer, member of the board of Dresdner Bank stating. Kurt Freiherr von Schröder was partner and manager of the account. Of the then 32 members not belonging to the SS Heinrich Himmler rose to the rank of SS 15 honorary leaders.

Wilhelm Keppler was interrogated during the Nuremberg trials later. He named a number of persons, who should have their circle of friends at least temporarily belongs, from memory. Other documents show the active participation on the basis of donations lists. The letter of the banker Kurt Freiherr von Schröder to Heinrich Himmler from September 21, 1943 contains a list of contributions to the total amount of RM 1,100,000 for the year 1943. This letter is in the Nuremberg IG Farben Trial as Exhibit USA -322 or. EC- 453 listed.

Members of the Friends of

The members are sorted alphabetically by last name. The naming of the functions is not exhaustive.