Freiburger historische Bestände - digital

Württemberg-Hohenzollern als Land der französischen Besatzungszone

französischen Militärregierung in Freiburg hatte er zusätzlich Information bezogen. Vor allem
darüber, daß die Abholzung durch die Franzosen nur ein Drittel dessen betrage, was die
Deutschen ihrerseits während des Krieges in Frankreich eingeschlagen hätten. Diese und
weitere von den Franzosen gegebenen Zahlen wollte der French Adviser aber erst noch im
einzelnen überprüfen. Er schien eher skeptisch zu sein555.

Die Wirtschaftspolitik der Franzosen

Immer wieder war es die wirtschaftliche Situation in den südlich benachbarten Besatzungsländern
, die die Amerikaner mit argwöhnischer Sorge verfolgten. So hieß es über das erste
Quartal des Jahres 1949: The financialposition in both south Wuerttemberg-Hohenzollern and
South Baden were not too hrilliant.. .however, in South Baden the Situation was more serious
and there was a big gap between receipts and expenditures. The expense of occupation in South
Baden is much greater in proportion than the remainder of the French Zone as Baden-Baden is
headquarters for troops an Military Government556.

Neben den eher unsicher wirkenden Daten des French Advisers Robert R. Hutton konnte
sich die amerikanische Militärregierung in Stuttgart gelegentlich aber auch auf die Ausarbeitungen
besonderer Fachberater stützen, wenn sie etwa mehr über die französische Abholzungenin
Württemberg-Hohenzollern wissen wollte. So konnte sie sich des Forestry Adviser William H.
Messbokjr. bedienen, der ihr ergänzendes Material lieferte. In bezug auf die Frage, mit welchen
Mitteln die Franzosen an der weiteren ungestörten Entnahme von Holz aus ihrer Zone
gehindert werden könnten, hatte der Forestry Adviser jedoch nur die Antwort bereit: This is a
question beyond the competence of our jurisdiction, since the policy governing the actions of the
French in the French Zone is one that is formulated at a much higher level than land
government557.

555 Ebd.: Mr. Magnat, Director of Economics and Finance Divison, French Mil. Govt. Freiburg, had
informed me that the French Programm called for shipping to France approx. '/i of quantity taken hy
Germany during their occupation of France. Since then I have checked on this and find this proportion to he
substantially correct and the cause of 50% cutting above normalprewarprograms in South Baden and South
Wuerttemberg carry an average of approx. 1 million cu. metres each, per year, for four years, making 8
million in all. Thefigure of 24 million cu. metres overcut during German occupation in France was given in
Freiburg as a comparison. There was also payment in dollars at prevailing world prices by the French
government, but I must check details of this. Other exportations were made to Switzerland, Italy, and
Holland and paid for by those countries to German economy. I have not yet the exact quantities in this
category.

556 Report for quarter ending 31 March 1949 from French Adviser OMGWB, in: RG 260 OMGWB
3/408-1/21.

557 RG 260 OMGWB 12/64-1/20. Normal pre war wood cuttings in South Wuerttemberg for, german
economy averaged 1700 000 cubic metres annally, which is about the same as average after 1945. Therefor, as
in addition the French export average is making a total of 2700000, the percentage of cutting over normal
would be approx. 60 % in South Baden annualproduction was approx. 2 million cu. meters pre war, stepped
up during war to 3 million. The French program is now approx. 4 million, 33 '/> % over war production and
100% over normal. This sounds like a discrepancy, but the 50% mentioned in beginning of paragraph 2 is
evidently calculated on the basis of1 m for France over the 2 m normal. I understand expert opinion ist that
cutting is not to the point of depredation of the black forest and German economy is getting the benifit
through exportation and industry. Lack of coal also has necessitated large quantities of wood for heating;
example 800 000 cu. metres per year in South Baden. This will give an overall picture of wood cutting in the
Black Forest, and I will get a more detailed one during Coming Visits.

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