During my research for my bachelors thesis into the classification of mining in the Reichsgruppe under the Nazi regime, I came across two different classifications:
So which is correct?
I can only explain this apparent double classification by the central importance of mining for both economic sectors: On the one hand as a supplier of raw materials for industrial production and on the other as a key sector for energy supply.
Is it possible that in different sources and at different times the emphasis was placed more on one or the other affiliation, depending on which aspect of coal mining was in the foreground, so that it can be said that mining belonged to both groups?
Chapter 3.10 by Gehlen deals with energy industry in general, not specifically with the Reichsgruppe "Energy Industry". Of course, energy industry is connected with mining. However, mining was organized as a "Wirtschaftsgruppe" (industry group) in "Hauptabteilung" (main department) I of the "Reichsgruppe Industrie" (see https://archivfuehrer-kolonialzeit.de/reichsgruppe-industrie-bestand?sf_culture=en and https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsgruppe_Industrie). The Reichsgruppe "Industry" had 32 groups, whereas the much smaller Reichsgruppe "Energy Industry" had only two groups for "Electricity supply" and "Gas and water supply" (see https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsgruppe_Energiewirtschaft).
Dear Leonie Puschnig Please do recommend my answer if found helpful.
During the time of Nazi Germany (1933-1945), coal mining fell under the jurisdiction of the Reich Ministry of Economics (Reichswirtschaftsministerium or RWM). The Reich Ministry of Economics was responsible for overseeing economic policies, industrial production, and resource management, including the extraction and utilization of coal.
While there were various organizations and entities within the Nazi government that dealt with specific aspects of the economy, the Reich Ministry of Economics played a central role in coordinating economic activities, including those related to the mining and utilization of coal, a crucial resource for the German war machine and the overall economy. The RWM was headed by prominent figures such as Hermann Göring and Walther Funk during different periods of the Nazi regime.
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