HC Deb 22 February 1944 vol 397 cc632-3
15. Mr. Thorne

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare if he has information as to the annual amount of money that the governments of countries who are under the military control of Germany have to pay to that country; giving the current money of the countries and the amount per head of the population, including the amount and the countries in a statement made by the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on 19th March, 1941.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare (Mr. Dinģle Foot)

As the answer contains a large number of figures I will with my hon. Friend's permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Thorne

Will those figures not show that the Germans are making a big profit out of them?

Mr. Foot

Yes, Sir, in many countries the mark has been deliberately overvalued and that, of course, enables the German occupying troops who purchase goods with over-valued marks to obtain more goods than the money is worth.

Mr. Stokes

Somewhat like the lira rate in Italy.

Following is the answer:

We have received information showing that, in recent months, the German exploitation of the occupied countries has become even more ruthless and thorough than formerly. It will be observed that the figures given below are substantially

Country. Present Annual Rate of Present Annual Rate of Total Exploitation.
Occupation Costs. Increase in Clearing 3alancesetc. Total Per Head of Population.
In million local currency units. In Million Local Currency Units. In Million £ Sterling. In Local Currency Units. £
France … (Francs) 216,000 84,000 300,000 1,125 7,540 28
Belgium … (Francs) 21,000 23,400 44,400 266 5,750 34
Holland … (Guilders) 1,200 1,500 2,700 269 301 30
Denmark … (Crowns) 1,070 900 1,970 77 512 20
Norway … (Crowns) 3,000 — 3,000 128 1,065 45
General Government (Zloty) 1,000 200 1,200 45 81 3
Protectorate … (Crowns) 3,000 16,000 19,000 143 5,650 43
Serbia … (Dinars) 4,200 2,000 6,200 23 1,285 5
Croatia … (Kunas) 3,000 — 3,000 11 460 1.7
2,087
Greece has been omitted as under the present circumstances it is impossible to give a reliable estimate of the annual rate of occupation costs. The amounts vary from month to month tending to increase steeply as the inflation progresses. It is reliably reported that in the Autumn of 1943 the monthly cost of the occupation amounted to 150 md. dr., as against 70 md. in June 1943 and about 25 md. in June 1942.