Hitler's Secret Bankers by Adam LeBor

Author:Adam LeBor [LeBor, Adam]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781789543230
Publisher: Head of Zeus

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Masson’s secret meetings with Schellenberg came back to haunt him after the war’s end. Under pressure from Swiss left-wingers, the Federal Council launched an official enquiry into the relationship between the Swiss spymaster and his Nazi counterpart and described the meetings as ‘unauthorised’. Masson fought hard for his reputation, and on 3 October 1945 sent a lengthy letter to Federal Councillor Karl Kobelt, defending his actions and arguing that the Federal Council had known exactly what he was doing, in his relations with the Nazi intelligence chief. ‘I only had relations with Walter Schellenberg, and not with other chiefs of the SS. It is a monstrosity that you portray me as a friend of the Nazis, because I am not. I disapproved of the German attitudes, especially those of Hitler. I said to Walter Schellenberg that he shouldn’t be surprised by the hostile attitudes of the Swiss, especially from the moment that the Germans found this term “Herrenvolk” [master race],’ wrote Masson, also claiming that SS Officer Eggen, while imprisoned, had not been charged with any crimes, and had even left Switzerland under the protection of the US Military Attaché in Berlin.

Masson also claimed that Heinrich Rothmund, chief of the Foreigner Police and a key figure in the closure of Swiss borders to Jewish refugees, had found the Eggen/Schellenberg channel useful.

The first beneficiary of this line was Dr Rothmund, with the support of President Von Steiger, who had on a number of occasions to meet Eggen in Switzerland, and was later received by Eggen in his private property in Berlin. He knew exactly who Eggen and Schellenberg were, and he knew also that they didn’t alter their role during the war.

Today as I am obliged to defend my honour as an officer, it is very important for me that people know that before I saw Walter Schellenberg for the first time I asked for the General’s authorisation, who not only gave his agreement but was also grateful to me for the results which we gained through this contact… I ask you now very respectfully to take the attitude of the General to the chamber because I cannot protect myself.

As for Schellenberg himself, once in Allied hands he was more concerned with muddying the murky waters of Swiss-Nazi collaboration than clearing them, as extracts from his undated interrogation statement show.

‘I knew Oberst Masson personally; I do not think I was wrong in thinking that there was a certain mutual sympathy on both sides, which had gradually developed through our political discussions,’ the SS general claimed. ‘Perhaps on Masson’s part it was due to the fact that I was a real friend of Switzerland.’ Schellenberg said that his aim in his discussions with Masson was to open a regular channel for the exchange of information with him – in other words, make the head of Swiss Military Intelligence some kind of Nazi agent. By regularly meeting with Schellenberg, Masson had allowed himself to become, if not an agent, at least a de

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