Quote

First, I was Bavarian State Minister of Justice, and after the ministries of justice in the various states were dissolved I became Reich Minister without portfolio.

In 1930 I became a member of the Reichstag.

I don't mind how much my Ministers talk, so long as they do what I say.

I was Minister for the Armed Forces in the Ministry of Defence for two years prior to being appointed Defence Secretary.

In the long term, Germany didn't need a finance minister who was absent during important negotiations in the European Council. But the chancellor strongly encouraged me to stay. And everything did work out for the best in the end.

I was a student in Germany when Hitler came to power.

Like Prince von Bismarck in diplomacy, I have no secrets.

I was in government for 13 years and in that time only once met the head of the German security services, and that was because he was an old friend. Otherwise, I carefully avoided having anything to do with these people. They are unavoidable but not really necessary.

During the past few years I have led a sometimes hard battle for German foreign policy.

I never participated in far-reaching political decisions, since I never belonged to the circle of the closest associates of Adolf Hitler, neither was I consulted by Adolf Hitler on general political questions, nor did I ever take part in conferences about such problems.