§ Mr. Mainwaringasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare, if he has any information as to the amount of the financial burden imposed by Germany upon each of the occupied territories, including those not yet relieved.
§ Mr. FootThe table given below shows the estimated financial exactions in the form of occupation costs and clearing balances, etc., made by Germany in occupied countries. The total exactions are estimated up to the end of August, 1944, since that is thought to be the latest date at which Germany could have exacted the full amounts from those countries which are in process of liberation.
In estimating the present rate, the already completed liberation of great areas of France, Belgium and Holland is taken into account, as far as statistically possible. Greece is omitted from the tables since the process of hectic inflation makes 1595W it impossible to convert German exactions into sterling. Poland, the temporarily occupied parts of Russia, Croatia and Slovakia do not appear in the table of occupation costs. In the case of the first two countries exploitation largely took the form of loot, the value of which cannot be assessed, and any mention of occupation costs alone—even if up-to-date figures were available—would minimise the actual extent of exploitation. No recent information is available concerning occupation costs levied in Croatia and Slovakia.
No clearing balances are given for Norway, Serbia or Croatia. Information available suggests that only the Norwegian balance is of any magnitude; it is in favour of Germany, but includes the equivalent of imports into Norway for account of the "Wehrmacht." Italy, Hungary, Roumania and Bulgaria are not considered as occupied countries for the purpose of this inquiry, although they have made considerable financial contributions to the German war effort, and in Hungary occupation costs have been levied since March, 1944. Reliable information regarding the amount is not available. The annual rate in Hungary is, however, thought to be not less than md. R.M. (£75,000,000). In addition a German clearing debt of about 1 md. R.M. exists.
Conversion into sterling has been effected by first converting national currencies into Reichsmarks at the present official clearing rates and then converting Reichsmarks into sterling at the rate of R.M. 13⅓ = £1.
1596W
Occupation Costs. — Total up to 31.8.44. Present Annual Rate. md.RM. mill £ md.RM. mill £ France 35.3 2,648 0.7 53 Belgium 5.7 428 Holland 8.6 645 0.9 68 Denmark 1.8 135 1.1 83 Norway 7.4 555 1.7 128 Bohemia and Moravia. 1.8 135 0.3 23 Serbia 0.9 68 0.2 15 Total 61.5 4,614 4.9 370
Clearing Balances, etc. — Total up to 31.8.44 Present Annual Rate. md.RM. mill £ md.RM. mill £ France 7.7 578 0.3 23 Belgium 4.8 360 Holland 7.9 593 1.1 83 Denmark 1.3 98 0.5 38 Bohemia and Moravia. 4.2 315 1.9 143 Slovakia 0.6 45 0.4 30 Total 26.5 1,989 4.2 317 The total amounts exacted by the Germans from the above countries under the headings of Occupation Costs and Unpaid Goods and Services thus reach a sum of about £6,600,000,000, while the present annual rate of exploitation is estimated at a maximum of £690,000,000. After the complete liberation of France, Belgium and Holland the latter figure will be reduced to approximately £460,000,000.