Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft

The Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft, or Circle of Friends of the Economy (which became known as "Freundeskreis Reichsführer SS" or "Freundeskreis Himmler") 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.

Role and development
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 skeleton 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]

Post-war sentencing of group members
Friedrich Flick during the Nuremberg Trials
Heinrich Bütefisch in charge at Monowitz works
Otto Ohlendorf testifies at the Einsatzgruppen trial, 9 October 1947.
Oswald Pohl receives his sentence of death by hanging at Nuremberg trials.

After the war, William Keppler was sentenced to ten years in prison following the Ministries Trial at Nuremberg in 1949. He was released in February 1951.

Friederich Flick was also sentenced to seven years after the Flick trial, and released early in 1950.[2] Oswald Pohl and Otto Ohlendorf were hanged for war crimes in the Nuremberg trials.

Members

Members of the group included:[1][4]

From manufacturing:

From banking:

From politics and the SS:

gollark: ❗
gollark: Appearance/Basic Anatomy Their golden scales retain heat better than other dragons. The twin dorsal fins at their shoulders grow slowly. When first born, the golden scales are at their brightest and then dull over time. The dorsal and tail spines are not sharp. The underbelly has harder scales than the rest of the body. Three digits on each wing, with a small claw-like digit at the central joint. Eyes have slit pupils that are bright apple green. The tail is prehensile to a degree and helps steady movements.Hatchling Behavior Hatchlings are timid but curious. At a young age, scales start out sharp. When encountering other metallic dragons, Golds become very talkative. They can’t do much flying until the twin dorsal fins are long enough.Adult Behavior Can be persnickety at times. Absolutely love objects as shiny as they are. Being hunted for their lustrous scales has made them tend to avoid humans. Dislike direct sunlight when in groups. Highly intelligent compared to other breeds. Have studied humans to a small degree but are not particularly impresssed with them.Habitat Can be found near caves. Hatchlings tend not to stay where they are supposed to. Prefer dense wooded areas.Diet Primary diet of large game and pack animals. Are careful to avoid killing off entire herds. “Snack” on nuts, if available.
gollark: Gold what?
gollark: INdeed.
gollark: `his horse travelling with the speed of a thousand gazelles`

See also

References
  1. 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.
  2. Stallbaumer, L. M. "Frederick Flick's Opportunism and Expediency". Dimensions: A Journal of Holocaust Studies. Anti-Defamation League. 13 (2). Archived from the original on 2017-02-15. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
  3. 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.
  4. Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals (PDF). VI: The Flick Case. United States Government Printing Office. 1952. p. 287.
  5. "The Righteous Among The Nations". Yad Vashem. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
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