“The responsible member of the intelligence service must keep
the head of the mission informed on all important aspects of
secret intelligence service activities in the country in
question.”
You did sign such an agreement? Is that true?
VON RIBBENTROP: Yes.
GEN. RUDENKO: We are therefore forced to the conclusion that the foreign
organization of the German Ministry for Foreign Affairs was actually
engaged in espionage work?
VON RIBBENTROP: No, you cannot really say that, for the following
reasons:
I mentioned once before this morning in the course of the examination
that there were differences of opinion between Himmler and myself in
regard to the intelligence service abroad. Thanks to the efforts of the
Defendant Kaltenbrunner, that agreement was eventually signed. We
planned to co-operate, and I do not deny that we intended to work
intelligence service personnel into the Foreign Office organization.
This, however, was not put into practice. The agreement could not become
effective because it was concluded so late that the end of the war
intervened. I think the date of the conclusion of this agreement, which
is lacking in this copy, must have been 1944 or even 1945. Thus, there
was no actual co-operation. Such co-operation was, however, planned; and
I was particularly interested in it. There had been all sorts of
differences and I wanted to end them and put matters on a more uniform
basis. That was the reason. In any case, I think that is part of the
procedure which all countries had to employ abroad. I do not think it is
anything unusual.
GEN. RUDENKO: I am not asking you your opinion. I was only interested in
this document; it is true that you did sign such an agreement. You
replied in the affirmative. I am not asking you further questions about
this document.
VON RIBBENTROP: Yes. I replied in the affirmative—yes.
GEN. RUDENKO: I wanted to know this only. I have another document from
this series. Do you remember a letter of the Defendant Kaltenbrunner in
which he asked for one million Tomans for bribery in Iran?
VON RIBBENTROP: One million...? What is that? I did not hear it; please
repeat it. I did not hear the word very well...
GEN. RUDENKO: One million Tomans. Tomans are Iranian currency. I should
like you to acquaint yourself with this document; it is a short one.
VON RIBBENTROP: May I see it, please?
GEN. RUDENKO: Of course.
VON RIBBENTROP: Yes. I recollect the matter, and I think certain funds
were placed at their disposal.
GEN. RUDENKO: The money was placed at Kaltenbrunner’s disposal?
VON RIBBENTROP: I do not know the details, but I believe I did give
instructions to the Foreign Office at the time that financial support
should be given in this matter. That is correct.
GEN. RUDENKO: It was precisely that point which interested me. The
document speaks for itself.