Chasing Gold: The Incredible Story of How the Nazis Stole Europe's Bullion

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Chasing Gold: The Incredible Story of How the Nazis Stole Europe's Bullion Page 51

by George M. Taber


  26. During the war: London Gold Conference of 1997, pp. 67-70 and 538.

  27. Gold to anyone: Pierre Arnoult, Les Finances de la France 1940-1944, p. 210.

  28. Also never happened: Ibid., pp. 218-222.

  29. On September 6, 1939: war diary DE104/A4-3 Serial 001-45 and ships logs. NACP RG 24 NND 927605 AND 803052.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: BALKAN DISTRACTIONS

  1. Their finest hour: The Churchill Centre, www.winstonchurchill.org.

  2. Undertake a naval invasion: Gerhard L. Weinberg, A World at Arms, pp. 148-149.

  3. Shortest possible time: Hugh Trevor-Roper, Hitler’s War Directives, pp. 79-80.

  4. Many to so few: The Churchill Centre, www.winstonchurchill.org.

  5. Teeth taken out: Ciano Diplomatic Papers, p. 402.

  6. Have occupied Greece: Chester Wilmot, The Struggle for Europe, p. 63.

  7. Turned into a fiasco: John Stoessinger, Why Nations Go to War, p. 39.

  8. New York Fed: Paul Hehn, A Low Dishonest Decade, p. 111. Fold3.com #269909657. Jack Bennett report June 11, 1946. Arthur L. Smith, Jr., Hitler’s Gold, p. 164. New York Fed gold purchase, January 6, 1941, SZ-167.

  9. Yugoslavia and Greece: Chester Wilmot, The Struggle for Europe, p. 70.

  10. A rapid campaign: Hugh Trevor-Roper, Hitler’s War Directives, p. 93.

  11. Found its soul: Winston Churchill War Papers, 1941 p. xxxix.

  12. April 27 in Greece: Hugh Trevor-Roper, Hitler’s War Directives, p. 108.

  13. About 28 tons: NYFED, File C261 Greece.

  14. Cases containing silver: TCA Greece. NACP RG59/62D115 Box 19.

  15. In concentration camps: Ibid. pp. 5-15.

  16. Tons in Britain: NYFED, File C261 Yugoslavia. London Nazi Gold Conference, Dusan Biber, pp. 411-415. Jacob Hoptner and Henry Roberts, Yugoslavia in Crisis 1934-1941, p. 156.

  17. Federal Reserve: NYFED, File 261 Yugoslavia.

  18. New York Federal Reserve: Gianni Toniolo, Central Bank Cooperation at the Bank for International Settlements, p. 219.

  19. On the bullion: TCA Yugoslavia. NACP RG59/62D115 Box 22.

  20. And the gold: London Gold Conference, Dusan Biber, p. 411.

  21. To the Reichsbank: Ibid.

  22. A splendid haul: Wilfried von Oven and Jürgen Hahn-Butry. Panzer am Balkan–Erlebnisbuch der Panzergruppe von Kleist. Berlin: Lipert, 1941.

  23. End of the war: TPA Yugoslavia.

  24. Remained in the country: London Gold Conference, Dusan Biber, p. 411.

  25. New York Federal Reserve: NYFED, file 261 Yugoslavia.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: THE SOVIET UNION STARES INTO AN ABYSS

  1. Can be exterminated: Hugh Trevor-Roper, Hitler’s War Directives, p. 3. Hitler, Adolf, Mein Kampf, ch. IV, p. 155.

  2. The area’s riches: Hugh Trevor-Roper, Hitler’s Table Talk, pp. 623-624.

  3. Command upon notification: IMT 1743-PS. Albert Speer, Inside the Third Reich, p. 238.

  4. City of Kazan: Timothy Green, Central Bank Gold Reserves since 1845, World Gold Council. RGASPI Fond 5, op.1, file 2761.

  5. Into Bolshevik hands: Oleg Budnitskii, Kolchak’s Gold: The End of a Legend, russiasgreatwar.org. RGASPI Fond 5, op.1, file 2761.

  6. Soviet Central Bank: RGASPI Fond 5, op.1, file 2761.

  7. World’s largest cities: Lenin’s Collected Works, 2nd English Edition, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1965, Vol. 33, pp. 109-116.

  8. Tons in 1925: CIA study of October 17, 1955. CIA/SV/RR 121 entitled Soviet Gold Production, Reserves and Exports through 1954.

  9. To finance industrialization: Ibid. GARF, Fond 4433, op. 12a, file 698, Osokina, Torgsin, p. 527.

  10. The communist nation: John Morton Blum, From the Morgenthau Diaries 1928-1938, pp. 55-57.

  11. The same period: NYFED Report June 11, 1937, C261 Soviet Union folder.

  12. Such as aircraft engines: Ibid.

  13. Worth $11 million arrived: Ibid.

  14. Treasury’s special account: Ibid.

  15. Gold from Russia: NYFED, C261 Soviet Union folder. John Morton Blum, From the Morgenthau Diaries 1938-1941, p. 269. HM, 455:313, October 20, 1941.

  16. Going to Germany: RGAE 2324-20-4462. HM 259:270, April 30, 1940.

  17. Even 600,000 horses: Gerard L. Weinberg, A World at Arms, p. 264.

  18. Back to France: Adam Zamoyski, Moscow 1812, p. 547.

  19. Trusted Adolf Hitler: Constantine Pleshakov, Stalin’s Folly, p. 70. Winston Churchill, The Second World War, The Grand Alliance, pp. 303-305. David Murphy, What Stalin Knew, p. 189 and Appendix Two.

  20. Night in their offices: Ibid., p. 6.

  21. The whole Politburo: Rodric Braithwaite, Moscow 1941, p. 65.

  22. Final three sentences: Constantine Pleshakov, Stalin’s Folly, p. 115. David Murphy, What Stalin Knew, p. 218.

  23. Into the night: RGASPI FOND 17 OP.164, FILE 659, pp. 67,69.

  24. From the invaders. Politburo Protocol 34/34—OP.21-29 June 1941, point 144, 27 June 1941.—Fond 17, op. 166, file 659, pp. 189-190, RGASPI; typed original.

  25. The Kremlin Armory: RGASPI No 34/34, point 115, Fond 17, op. 164, pp. 67, 69.

  26. Novsibirsk and Chelyabinsk: GARF Fond R6822. Politburo meetings Protocol No 34/34, point 115—Fond 17, op. 164, file 659, pp. 67, 69, RGASPI.

  27. Night of July 5: GARF, Fond R-6822.

  28. Care of the body: TsAFSB RF, A. 17, op. 25, file 9 pp. 172-173. TsA FSB RF, Fond 17, op. 25, file 9, p. 184.

  29. Continued their duties: TsA FSB RF, Fond 17, op. 25, file 10, p. 86, GARF, R-6822-1-377.

  30. Tons of gold annually: GARF, R-6822-1-410, p.1. R-6822-1-377, p.4. R-6822-1-409, p. 155, R-6822-1-409, p. 8.

  31. We’ve shitted it away: Simon Sebag Montefiore, Stalin, p. 374.

  32. Quickly approved it: Rodric Braithwaite, Moscow 1941, pp. 82-83.

  33. He appeared gloomy: Edvard Radzinsky, Stalin, p. 471. David Glantz, When Titans Clashed, pp. 62-63.

  34. You, of course: Rodric Braithwaite, Moscow 1941, pp. 83-84. Edvard Radzinksy, Stalin, pp. 468-472.

  35. You my friends: www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/documents/stalin1.htm.

  36. Surrounded by Nazi troops: Ukrainian Business News enews.com.ua/show/283964.html.

  37. Long-term supply job: FDR, Henry Hopkins Papers, Container 306, Book 4. Welles-Hopkins on July 21, 1941, 740.001 EW 19390. PSF: Safe File.

  38. Aggression of Hitlerite Germany: Ibid.

  39. The English letter: Michael Fullilove, Rendezvous with Destiny, p. 292.

  40. Lines would hold: FDR, Henry Hopkins Papers.

  41. From the Germans: Michael Fullilove, Rendezvous with Destiny, p. 308.

  42. Since the 1930s: Allen Weinstein and Alexander Vassiliev, The Haunted Wood, p. 44.

  43. The Roosevelt administration: Fond 06, op.3, P. 21, folder 280, AVP.RF.

  44. Space of two weeks: Charles Burdick and Hans-Adolf Jacosen, The Halder War Diary 1939-1942, p. 446.

  45. Revenge of reality: Nikolas Cornish, Images of Kursk, p. 7.

  46. But fertile land: Rodric Braithwaite, Moscow 1941, p. 85. Timothy Snyder, Bloodlands, p. 180.

  47. Would not fall: Rodric Braithwaite, Moscow 1941, p. 85, and David E. Murphy, What Stalin Knew, pp. 232-233.

  48. Forward substantial reserves: Janusz Piekalkiewicz, Die Schlacht um Moskau, p. 205.

  49. Beginning of December: Fedor von Bock, The War Diary 1939-1945, p. 345.

  50. From enemy attacks: Allen E. Crew, Fighting the Russians in Winter, p. 12.

  51. Against the Nazis: John Morton Blum, From the Morgenthau Diaries, Vol.2., pp. 255-272.

  52. To buy weapons: GRAE Fond 2324-20-4697.

  53. Nearby vessels saluted: Nigel Pickford, Lost Treasure Ships of the Twentieth Century, p. 129. RGAE Fond 2324.

  54. Lend-Lease kicked in: RGAE Fond 2324-20-4697.

  55. Fragments and jewelry: IMT EC 320-2.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: MELMER GOLD

  1. Hitler’s government work: IMT 3944-PS. Nuremberg Trial, May 15,
1946 session. Report to Colonel Bernard Bernstein, May 8, 1945 outlining history of the Melmer deliveries. NACP RG 260, Box 423, 940.304.

  2. On the matter: IMT, May 7, 1946 session of trial. IMT 3944-PS.

  3. Accepted the proposal: NACP RG 260, Box 423, 940.304. Nuremberg Trial May 15, 1945 session.

  4. There were four shipments: NACP RG 260, Box 423, 940.304. December 4, 1945 report by A.I. Edelman to Donald W Curtis.

  5. Currency to jewelry: Ibid. Colonel Bernard Bernstein reports to Lt. General Lucius Clay for April 1945 and May 1945. IMT 3951-PS.

  6. Work with the SS: Three interrogation statements made by Albert Thoms. NACP RG 260, Box 423, 940.304.

  7. To the bank: IMT PS-445. Statement of Albert Thoms, September 19, 1945.

  8. Reichsbank on January 27, 1945: NACP RG 260, Box 423, 940.304, July 18, 1947 Colonel Bernard Bernstein monthly May 1945 report, OMGUS AG, 1945-46.ort to Lt. General Lucius Clay, part II. TD, Box 330, Folder 7645.

  9. Deposits to be $14.5 million: NACP RG 260 AG 1945-1946.

  10. Policy of extermination: NACP RG 260 AG 1945-1946.

  11. The same level: William Slany, U.S. and Allied Efforts to Recover and Restore Gold and Other Assets Stolen or Hidden by Germany During World War II, pp. 157-163.

  12. Central bank bullion: Bergier Independent Commission, final report, p. 249.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: PROCRASTINATION ITALIAN STYLE

  1. Invasion of the mainland: Gerhard L. Weinberg, A World at Arms, pp. 593-601.

  2. Not forsake me: Robert Forczyk, Rescuing Mussolini—Gran Sasso 1943, pp. 5-15.

  3. That too was nixed: Sergio Cardarelli and Renata Martano, I Nazisti e L’Oro della Banca d’Italia, p. 3.

  4. Berlin on September 17, 1943: TCA Italian Report. NACP RG59/62D115 Box 20. Albert Thoms Interrogation, April 12, 1945. NACP RG 2650/390/46/9/2 Box 424.

  5. Investment in Italy: Gianni Toniolo, Central Bank Cooperation at the Bank for International Settlements 1930-1973, p. 252.

  6. Different secure place: Thomas McKittrick Papers, Harvard Business School Library, Series 2. Business Papers, Letters and memos, October 1942-August 1945.

  7. Have control of it: Sergio Cardarelli and Renata Martano, I Nazisti e L’Oro della Banca d’Italia p. 15.

  8. Also simply disappeared: London Gold Conference, pp. 324-325.

  9. Ton from Greece: Sergio Cardarelli and Renata Martano, I Nazisti e L’Oro della Banca d’Italia p. 150.

  10. Italy central banker: London Gold Conference, p. 324.

  11. Store a country’s gold: German Bundesbank, Dokumentation das im Kriege Nach Deutschland Verbrachet Münzgold Italiens, Hergoz Report.

  12. An iron trellis: German Bundesbank, Dokumentation das im Kriege Nach Deutschland Verbrachet Münzgold Italiens, Hergoz Report.

  13. Officials accompanied it: Sergio Cardarelli and Renata Martano, I Nazisti e L’Oro della Banca d’Italia, pp. 22-23.

  14. Shipment to Basel: London Conference, pp. 325-326. ICB Asbi.Segretariato Generale, pratt, n 995, fasc.2

  15. To his institution: London Gold Conference, pp. 325-326.

  16. Three days later: Sergio Cardarelli and Renata Martano, I Nazisti e L’Oro della Banca d’Italia, pp. 28-34.

  17. Bank of France: London Gold Report, p. 337 and TCA Italian case. NACP RG59/62D115 Box 20.

  18. Bank of Italy: Ibid.

  19. Their old friend: Thomas McKittrick Papers, Harvard Business School Library, Series 2.Business Papers, Letters and memos, October 1942-August 1945.

  20. Allowed him to use: Biographical Dictionary of Italians, www.treccani.it/enciclopedia.

  21. More than demanded: NACP Record Group.226, CIA, doc. 7185. Robert Katz, The Battle for Rome, pp. 74-75.

  22. In Kaltenbrunner’s office: NACP Record Group.226, Entry 112, Misc. X-2 Files, Box 1, Folder 5, Italian Decodes.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: PARTNERS IN GOLD

  1. Will be ours: Bergier Commission Report Final Report. International Commission of Experts Switzerland: National Socialism and the Second World War, pp. 223-238. Funk speech in Rome GFAB 25.01/70/18/1 p. 549.

  2. Hide its provenance: Interview transcript of Thomas McKittrick, Princeton University Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. NACP RC 59 800.515/5-646. Bergier Commission Final Report, p. 12.

  3. Fences and creditors: Jean Ziegler, The Swiss, the Gold, and the Dead, p. 18.

  4. In Swiss francs: Bergier Commission Final Report, p. 239.

  5. To take either: Ibid., p. 241-254.

  6. From German attack: Ibid.

  7. In August 1942: Ibid., p. 250.

  8. Had been looted: Ibid, p. 239.

  9. Stolen Belgian gold: Ibid., p. 252.

  10. Administered the account: Jean Ziegler, The Swiss, the Gold, and the Dead, p. 6.

  11. With the BIS: Thomas McKittrick Interview, Princeton University Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. Gianni Toniolo, Central Bank Cooperation at the Bank for International Settlements, g. 246.

  12. About Puhl’s travels: Donald P. Steury, The OSS and Project SAFEHAVEN.

  13. The Marshall Plan: Gianni Toniolo, Central Bank Cooperation at the Bank for International Settlements, p. 224. Thomas McKittrick Interview, Princeton University Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library.

  14. Not go unpunished: Gianni Toniolo, Central Bank Cooperation at the Bank for International Settlements, p. 246. Armand Van Dormael, Bretton Woods, p. 205.

  15. Business with Berlin: NYFED, Letter from Rooth to Harrison received November 14, 1939, Folder C 261 Sweden.

  16. Worth of gold: Bergier Commision Final Report, p. 241-254.

  17. Million in liquidated assets: London Gold Conference, Swedish papers, pp. 456-466. London Gold Conference, p. 712.

  18. With the Allies: Nazi Gold: The London Conference, pp. 427-479.

  19. Converted into dollars: Antonio Louça and Ansgar Schäfer, Portugal and the Nazi Gold, p. 24.

  20. All but 3.9 tons: William Slany study U.S. and Allied Wartime and Postwar Relations and Negotiations with Argentina, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey, p. xxxix. Interim Swiss Gold Transaction Report, appendix 1.

  21. Between 1942 and 1944: Clinton Administration’s Gold Team Final Report, p. 42.

  22. Payment for tungsten: Jean Ziegler, The Swiss, the Gold, and the Dead, p. 72. May 21, 1946 U.S. diplomatic cable from Madrid to Washington.

  23. Destined for Bucharest: Thomas McKittrick Papers, Harvard Business School Library, Business Papers, Letters and memos, October 1942-August 1945.

  24. At a Swiss bank: NACP RG 260/390/46/9/2 Box 424, 940.603. RG 43.

  25. Tons of bullion: Murat Önsoy, The World War Two Allied Economic Warfare: The Case of Turkish Chrome Sales, pp. 1-20.

  26. Tons of gold: Jonathan Steinberg, The Deutsche Bank and Its Gold Transactions during the Second World War, 13-38.

  27. The Reich surrendered: Johanes Bähr, Der Goldhandle der Dresdner Bank im Zweiten Weltkrieg, pp. 149-160.

  28. Its German initials: Peter Hayes, From Cooperation to Complicity, pp. 9-15.

  29. Holland and Belgium: NACP RG 260, 910.304.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: THE ALLIES FINALLY CRACK DOWN

  1. Making generous profits: November 14, 1945 monthly report to General Clay, Fold 3, #286968215.

  2. In world markets: William J. Clinton Presidential Library, Clinton Administration, Gold Team Report, pp. 262-27. HM Diary 698:159.

  3. With the allies: Martin Lorenz-Meyer, Safehaven, p. 39.

  4. Currency in Germany: David Rees, Harry Dexter White, p. 177.

  5. Code name Kostov: Michael Beschloss, The Conquerors, p. 152.

  6. Should be done: David Rees, Harry Dexter White, p. 248.

  7. In the past: John Morton Blum, Roosevelt and Morgenthau, p. 572.

  8. Have wasted away: HM 766:35-38. HM 770:17-33.

  9. On soup kitchens: David Rees, Harry Dexter White, p. 262.

  10. A military parade: Henry Morgenthau Jr., Germany Is Our Problem, pp. 1-4.

  11. Roosevelt sa
id little: John Morton Blum, Roosevelt and Morgenthau, p. 594.

  12. Beg like Fala: Michael Besschloss, The Conquerors, p. 130.

  13. Foreign Secretary angrily objected: John Morton Blum, Roosevelt and Morgenthau, pp. 595-596.

  14. His close friend: Martin Lorenz-Meyer, Safehaven, pp. 82-84.

  15. Control Technical Manual: Ibid., pp. 92-93.

  16. In the conflict: Ibid., pp. 71-72.

  17. Within two years: Yale University, Avalon Project. Yalta Conference final communiqué, http://avalon.law.yale.edu/wwii/yalta.asp.

  18. Fate of all Germans: Albert Speer, Inside the Third Reich, p. 433.

  19. The Bulge attack: John Dietrich, Morgenthau Plan, pp. 70-72, 82.

  20. World War III: Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Germany is Our Problem, p. 10.

  21. To delay publication: John Morton Blum, Roosevelt and Morgenthau, p. 627.

  22. One hundred percent: John Morton Blum, Years of War, pp. 415-420.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: RICH DISCOVERY IN A SALT MINE

  1. War was over: Hugh Trevor-Roper, The Goebbels Diary, pp. xxix-xxxi.

  2. The beleaguered Germans: Antony Beevor, Berlin the Downfall 1945, p. 11.

  3. Commanding military officers: Ibid., pp. 307-309 and 406.

  4. Time to do that: Veick Interrogation. BHM, 335. BLI, Netzeband Statement. BA 327D FO1046/24.

  5. Leaving 120,000 homeless: Erik Smit, 3 Februar 1945: Die Zerstorung Kreuzbers.

  6. State and party: BA A-327D FO 1046/24. Bernstein papers, Box 2, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library.

  7. For foreign informants: Karl Bernd Esser, Hitlers Gold, p. 75.

  8. New headquarters there: Dr. Werner Veick Interrogation, April 10, 1945. NACP Record Group.331, G-4 Functions in ESTOUSA Operations.

  9. Liquor was removed: Maxmillian Rathke Interrogation, Dr. Werner Veick Interrogation, NACP Record Group.331, G-4 Functions in ESTOUSA Operations.

  10. Were shipped south: Joseph Abrams, History of the 90th Division 6 June 1944 to 9 May 1945. Bernard Bernstein Report to Brig. Gen. F.J. McSherry, April 18, 1945. SHAEF/G-5/1/13, RG 331, G-4 Functon in Operational and Occupation Headquarters.

  11. Named simply #8: U.S. Army interrogations of Albert Thoms and Ernst Funtmann. NACP Record Group.331, File 940.401, G-4 Functions in ESTOUSA Operations.

  12. Gold was $256 million: Arthur L. Smith, Jr., Nazi Gold, p. p. 164.

 

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