862.00/3506
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 13.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that a law defining the legal status of the various party organs and groups associated with the Party has just recently been promulgated. The law bears the date of March 29 but was designed to take effect only on April 10, the day after its publication in the Reichsgesetzblatt.
The law is of considerable interest in that it must be regarded as carrying a step further the consolidation of the results of the Nazi revolution. Advancing along the lines of the basic Law of December 1, 1933, relative to the “Safeguarding of the Unity of Party and State” (see Embassy’s despatch No. 307 of December 4, 19334), it brings precision into a sphere in which considerable confusion has hitherto prevailed, namely, the exact position before the law of the multiple groups created to regiment German life on National Socialist lines.
The law provides that henceforth the following shall be considered organs (Gliederungen) of the N. S. D. A. P.5: the S. A.,6 the S. S.,7 the National Socialist Motor Corps, the Hitler Youth (including the Band of German Girls), the National Socialist German Student Body, and the National Socialist Women’s Organization. As such, these bodies possess no individual legal personality nor separate assets, but shall be considered integral units of the Party and shall be wholly dependent upon the latter’s treasurer for their funds. The Party, including the above-named organs, shall possess personality as a corporation in public law (Körperschaft des Öffentlichen Rechts).
[Page 261]The following are designated “organizations associated with the Party” (Angeschlossene Verbände): The National Socialist League of Physicians, the National Socialist Association of German Lawyers, the National Socialist Teachers’ Association, the National Socialist Welfare Organization, the National Socialist Organization for the Care of War Injured, the Reich’s League of German Officials, the National Socialist League of German Engineers, and the German Labor Front (including the National Socialist Group of “Strength through Joy”). It is provided that these organizations shall have individual competence before the law and the right to possess their own funds. Their financial administration shall be subject, however, to supervision by the Party’s treasurer at the latter’s discretion, and it is stated that they generally shall be obliged to render him all necessary assistance and cooperation.
It does not appear that this law automatically bestows Party membership upon such members of the bodies designated as “integral organs” or “associated organizations” as do not now belong to the Party; its purpose seems to be to define the legal relationship of these bodies to the Party, which is the controlling factor in the State. Although as a matter of fact most of the leaders of these groups are already Party members, the qualifications for Party membership are apparently a matter quite distinct from membership in the bodies themselves. Boys in the Hitler Youth, for instance, are obviously too young to qualify. It is understood, however, that a procedure is in force whereby a limited number of youths are chosen as prospective Party members upon the completion of their term in the Hitler Youth at about the age of 18; they then undergo a period of probation before being accepted as full Party members.
On April 15, a second law was adopted exempting from the payment of property taxes real estate held by the Party and its integral organs just cited. Certain of the “associated organizations” such as the National Socialist Welfare and War Injured Organizations are also exempted in this respect, as well as the Reich Air Defense League, the German Air Sport Association, the Voluntary Labor Service, the Engineers’ Relief League, and the People’s League for Germanism Abroad.
It has been noted that the press has been inspired to offer “constructive criticism” of the inclusion of the Labor Front among the “associated organizations.” In particular, several papers have remarked that the Labor Front’s recent connection with the Reich Economic Chamber through the provision for a common economic council, as described in the Embassy’s despatch No. 1919 of April 9, 1935, entitles the Labor Front to a status different from that, for instance, of the National Socialist League of Physicians. The papers hint that the [Page 262] Labor Front is still in a formative stage and that certain changes in its organization may shortly be looked for.
An example of the manner in which the Party treasurer’s right of supervision over the financial affairs of the “associated organizations” may be exercised has lately come to the Embassy’s attention. From a subordinate in the office of the Labor Front it is learned that last month a check for 6 million marks payable to the Party, and another 2 million marks payable to the Hitler Youth, were drawn from funds of the Labor Front. (It may be assumed that in accordance with the law described above incorporating the administration of the Hitler Youth with that of the Party, similar checks in the future will be made payable to the Party alone.) These payments doubtless came from the unaccounted-for balance of 22 million marks mentioned in a recent address by Dr. Ley on the finances of the Labor Front (see Embassy’s despatch No. 1832 of March 8, 1935.)8 This procedure is in apparent contradiction to the statement frequently heard that the Labor Front is more free to spend its funds solely for the workers’ benefit than the former trade unions because the latter used to allocate a portion of the contributions received to the maintenance of one or the other of the political parties.
Respectfully yours,