English Translation

138 Abachrift to Rk. 10038 B BrlaB of the Führer on the concentration of the war economy. From 2 September 1943. With regard to the tighter summary offered by the requirements of the war and the uniform use of all economic forces, I determine for the duration of the crisis: § 1 The Minister for Economic Affairs of the Reich is responsible for the fundamental economic policy questions of the German economy. § 2 The responsibilities of the Reich's Minister of Economics in the field of raw materials and production in industry and handcraft are transferred to the Reich Minister of Armament and Ammunition. In view of its extended scope, the Reichsminister of Armor and War Production is named "Reichsminister für Armor und Kriegsproduktion". § 3 (1) The Reichswirtschaftsminister remains responsible for supplying the civilian population with consumer goods and for regulating their distribution. (2) The Reichswirtschaftsminister is responsible in the field of raw materials and production in iudustry and crafts and in the area of trade for the treatment of foreign economic questions within the framework of the foreign trade policy of the Reich. In the field of foreign trade as a whole, it must also ensure that the general economic aspects are respected in the context of the overall German economic planning and that the German economy is aligned accordingly. The responsibility of the Reich Minister of Foreign Affairs for the foreign trade policy of the Empire and for the preparation and management of foreign trade negotiations remains unaffected. § 4 The Reichswirtschaftsminister is responsible for the top supervision of the credit institutions.