In the meeting, in which we first talked about this question and came to the decision to aryanize
the German economy, to take the Jew out of it, and put him into our debit ledger, was one in
which, to our shame, we only made pretty plans, which were executed very slowly. We then had
a demonstration, right here in Berlin, we told the people that something decisive would be done,
but again nothing happened. We have had this affair in Paris now, more demonstrations
followed and this time something decisive must be done!
Because, gentlemen, I have enough of the demonstrations! They don’t harm the Jew but me,
who is the last authority for coordinating the German economy. If today, a Jewish shop is
destroyed, if goods are thrown into the street, the insurance company will pay for the damages,
which the Jew does not even have; and furthermore goods of the consumer, goods belonging to
the people, are destroyed. If in the future, demonstrations which are necessary, occur, then, I
pray, that they be directed, so as not to hurt us. Because it’s insane, to clean out and burn a
Jewish warehouse then have a German insurance company make good the loss. And the goods
which I need desperately, whole bales of clothing and what-not, are being burned; and I miss
them everywhere. I may as well burn the raw materials before they arrive.
The people of course, do not understand that; therefore we must make laws which will show the
people once and for all, that something is being done. I should appreciate it very much if for
once, our propaganda could make it clear that it is unfortunately not the Jew who has to suffer in
all this, but the German insurance companies.
I am not going to tolerate a situation in which the insurance companies are the ones who suffer.
Under the authority invested in me, I shall issue a decree, and I am, of course, requesting the
support of the competent Government agencies, so that everything shall be processed through
the right channels and the insurance companies will not be the ones who suffer.
It may be, though, that these insurance companies may have insurance in foreign countries. If
that is the case, foreign bills of exchange would be available which I would not want to lose.
That shall have to be checked. For that reason, I have asked Mr. Hilgard of the insurance
company, to attend, since he is best qualified to tell us to what extent the insurance companies
are protected against damage, by having taken out insurance with other companies. I would not
want to miss this, under any circumstances.
I should not want to leave any doubt, gentlemen, as to the aim of today’s meeting. We have not
come together merely to talk again but to make decisions, and I implore the competent agencies
to take all measures for the elimination of the Jew from German economy and to submit them to
me, as far as it is necessary.
The fundamental idea in this program of elimination of the Jew from German economy is first,
the Jew being ejected from the Economy transfers his property to the State. He will be
compensated. The compensation is to be listed in the debit ledger and shall bring a certain
percentage of interest. The Jew shall have to live out of this interest.
It is a foregone conclusion, that this aryanizing, if it is to be done quickly, cannot be made in the
Ministry for Economy in Berlin. That way, we would never finish. On the other hand, it is very
necessary to have safety precautions so that the lower echelons, Stassholser, and Gauleiter will
not do things unreasonably. One must issue correction directives, immediately. The aryanizing
of all the larger establishments, naturally, is to be my lot – the Ministry for Economy will
designate, which and how many there are – it must not be done by a Statthalter or his lower
echelons, since these things reach into the export trade, and cause great problems, which the