存摺 | Bank Account

Hans Klein's pass book (Photo source: Umfangreicher Dokumentennachlass des deutschen Waffenhändlers Hans "China" Klein (1879 - nach 1957) aus den 1930er bis 1950er Jahren  )

這本是香港廣東銀行存摺。香港廣東銀行，1912年由李煜堂、陸蓬山、李星衢、馬應彪等人創辦，總行香港德輔道中6號。至35年，中國政府接管改組 。存摺中見39年最後一筆，為數 $200,375.00，戶主為葛漢思。點理解 $200,000？試比較馬來華人富商，37年買入皇后大道中50至52號，地皮全憧物業，中環傳統核心地段，作價$285,000。

葛漢思 (1879-1957？) 是一名軍火商人，1920至40年代間，是中德關係其中一位主角。存摺是大時代中一件小遺物，亦多少折射香港這英國自由港，於東亞國際關係及商業所扮演某種角色。

大戰後，德國建立魏瑪共和。 受《凡爾賽條約》監管，軍方(Reichswehr) 元老塞克特將軍(Hans von Seeckt) 尋求出路，開始向中國輸出軍事技術。相信是他，令商人葛漢思首先跟陳濟堂的廣東政府交易 。德國到33年，國家社會主義黨上台掌政，新聯合政府，任命資深前部長、自由派Schacht 行新經濟政策，當中包括透過出口重建軍工業。順理成章，Schacht在軍方原有基礎上，聯同國防部 von Blomberg，進一步發展中德軍事經貿合作，同時替廣東陳濟堂及南京蔣介石政府，提升武裝 、軍事工業以及戰術應用。

the Heereswaffenamt | The Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht had a special agency, the Heereswaffenamt: the Army Ordnance Office. Its main responsibilities included the research & development, specification, testing, industrialization (procurement, logistics), and acceptance of weaponry, ammunition, and equipment ("Waffen", "Munition", "Gerät"), as well as the assessment of enemy weaponry. The office was dissolved at the end of April 1945. Heereswaffenamt is normally abbreviated to He.Wa.A, HWA, or Wa.A. 

NSDAP, Ortsgruppe Canton vorm Braunen Haus in Tung-sha, Bundesarchiv Bild 137-046489

Chan Chi Tone of Canton (right)

34年間，合步樓 (HAPRO) 成立，一間有德國政府及軍方背景的私人工業貿易公司，葛漢思出任經理。他同時在塞克特為首蔣介石顧問委員會中，坐列為經濟顧問。 35年國防部提出解除出口中國限制，外交部曾顧慮到日本反應，提出反對，最终是由經濟部長落實。中國缺乏資金，而德國經濟政策亦控制貿易平衡，中德是透過以物換物形式交易，由德國貸款協助中國購置軍備，中國政府會透過出口礦產原料鎢(Tungsten 1)、銻(Antimony) 償還貸款。中國主力及機械化部隊，就是透過德國軍事顧問團以及相關貿易而建立。

General von Reichenau (right) with Chiang Kai Sek, head of the Republic of China, and Hans "China" Klein in 1936. Hans Klein's career began in the 1920s as a military adviser in China, and he immediately gave first defense contracts between the Reichswehr and the German armaments industry and China.The Engelhardt-Bank and STAMAG were involved. In 1934 he founded the HAPRO and was involved in the arms sales in 1937 worth 50 million Reichsmark.

HAPRO (德國工業品貿易公司 / 「合步樓公司」) and the China Arms Trade : Left to right: Kuan Te-mao, General Kuei Yung-ch'in, Friedrich Busse, Weng Wen-hao (翁文灝 1889–1971), Hans Klein, H.H. Kung, General von Reichenau, unidentified Chinese officer, Major Völker (Nanking 1936, courtesy Friedrich Busse)

Hans von Seeckt (1866-1936) with a guard of honor on the occasion of his 70th birthday, with von Blomberg and von Fritsch, 1936. From 1933–1935 he served as an adviser to Chiang Kai-shek, and headed the German military mission in China. Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1988-0106-500

Extra Nazi Courtesy for Chinese Envoy (Friday, June 18, 1937 - Sarasota Herald)

The Finance Minister of Republic of China Dr Kung Hsiang-hsi (孔祥熙 1881–1967), Fuhrer, the Navy Minister Admiral Chen Shao-kuan (陳紹寬 1889-1969) and Cheng Tien-fong (程天放 1899-1967, the Chinese ambassador to Berlin 1935-38) on the Terrassedes, Berghof in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, 13 Jun 1937.

Chiang's own adopted son Chiang Wei-kuo 蔣緯國 , among the legacy of the period, sat with the head of his class.

Chinese Army

Last of Panzer - the Chinese Panzer 1 Ausf A tanks at Nanking, Republic of China, Dec 1937 (民國26) | Chinese PzKpfw. I Ausf. A tanks captured by IJA at pier Hsia-Kuan (下關碼頭), Nanking. These were the last 4 survived out of the originally 15 PzKpfw. 1a under the 3rd Company of the Tank Battalion of the Independent Mechanized Regiment. The tanks, incl 314 as seen, had been abandoned as the retreating Chinese troops not able to secure the barges carrying the tanks while crossing the Yangtze River in chaos on 12 Dec. One of the captured panzers was sent to Japan where it was handed over to the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technology Division for evaluation. They were mostly interested in the engine and drive train and tested those pretty extensively. ww2db.com/image.php

Japanese Ambassador Hirosho Oshima (大島浩) and Foreign Minister Ribbentrop in the New Year Reception 1939, whereas the Chinese Ambassador Chen Chieh (陳介, 1938-41) was seen behind.  In early 1938 Fuhrer asserted more control on the foreign policy by removing Schacht, von Blomberg, von Mackensen and von Neurath. Ribbentrop's appointment in Feb 1938 indicated a radical change of the foreign policy. In contrast to Neurath's cautious and less bellicose nature, Ribbentrop unequivocally supported war. Ribbentrop's first move favored Japan over China by recognizing Manchukuo, then withdrew all arms shipments to China under the HAPRO program and called back all military advisers in China.

37年中國財政部長孔祥熙、海軍司令陳紹寛訪英，六月順道拜訪德國，就由國防部及經濟部主導 ，以確保雙邊外交貿易關係，期間會見管4年計劃經濟的戈林 (2) 以及元首本人。但剛離開德國，七月盧溝橋事變，地區衝突迅速發酵，終成中日全面戰爭。至年尾首都南京失陷，短短數月，蔣介石嫡系德式精鋭主力部隊，大戰中幾近消耗殆盡，急需重建補充。

但1937年德國內政開始轉折。33年的右翼聯合政府，由不同政治背景及軍頭組成，雖代表不同理念利益，但都憎惡《凡爾賽條約》苛刻，覺得共和國、民主議會無能誤事，而左翼國際主義顛覆賣國，他們追求國家生存權利、民族復興大業，恢復固有領土，不再受外國欺負，所以能夠走在一起。聯合政府內部早期曾經不穩，總理跟軍頭von Blomberg妥協， 34年長劍之夜，清除政府中黨內外各挑戰勢力，確立他元首地位，共和最終成為帝國。但帝國去到37年時，元首跟Schacht及von Blomberg，就國家政策分岐浮現。Schacht 37年起陸續辭退各職務。翌年 von Blomberg 娶妻，新妻就給爆出醜聞，緊接着的，連繼任人 von Fritsch 亦爆出同性戀醜聞，兩位軍頭下台。

在這國內整合過程中，有意無意間，德國就改變了對遠東的外交政策。過往，元首外交議程著眼點，只有歐陸腹地以及布爾什維克威脅，遠東並非其關注，充其量德國考慮當中日之間和事佬。而 Schacht 及 von Blomberg在此空間，一直以是中德經濟軍事合作的重要推手，而職業外交部會加以協調，三部門首長辭退，中徳軍事合作政策，就無以為繼。

"Since all these people claimed to represent Hitler, much of the time was spent fighting with each other over jurisdiction. All of them looked for ways of pleasing their Fuhrer as a means of increasing their influence. The result was a system in which chance events could provoke radical policies." Laurence Rees

38年， 黨員 Ribbentrop 將 von Neurath 排除出外交部，接掌外交部長一職。此前，日本跟德國的交往，未必會跟在遠東的英國來得密切。酒商出身的 Ribbentrop，作為元首私人外交顧問，33年早就認識時任駐柏林武官大島浩，大島浩操流利德語，跟Ribbentrop私交甚篤。去到38年，主戰、親日的Ribbentrop上任，就終止對華的合作計劃，撤回駐華軍事顧問團，並凍結軍工合同。

38年國防長暗然落台，背後由掌管內政經濟的戈林、國內維穩的希姆萊，兩個核心黨員策動。在處理 Fritsch 案手法牽強，激起軍中部份傳統軍人對元首的不滿，他們跟部份過氣政商界私下交流議論，質疑元首決策，尋求政治出路，在社會中上階層形成幾股力量。

故事發展至此，蔣中正日記有一小支線。1940年末，當德國國勢如日方中，而中德去向灰暗不明之時，中國駐柏林武官齊焌，一直於柏林、瑞士，跟德國舊友好聯絡，交換德國內情況。當中提及有熱心的克蘭 (Klein)，而此人，正是那香港特別活期存款戶主 葛漢思 (Klein, Hans) 在華名字。其餘的有閑賦家中的前經濟部長 Schacht。另外有Georg R. Thomas 將軍 (3)，他自共和時期，一直於軍部總管軍供，自從Schacht 及上司 von Blomberg走了，舊人有職份管戰爭經濟就剩下他，到新星建築師Albert Speer上台，重組戰爭經濟，他就得投閒置散。

葛漢思等所做，是想取得蔣介石支持，嘗試跟西方接洽。不同群組，其實亦透過各自既有網絡，接觸其相熟外交人物，例如Canaris 所統國防軍軍情部門Abwehr (4)。不過事到如今，德國國內政治上再無任何正途，可以對元首作任何政治制衡，反對者可行選項不多。戰時尋求交戰國協助的，只不過假設新政府能夠成立，對局勢無實質影響。隨著戰事發展，軍部新人憑戰功冒升，民族國家主義思想全國漫延，黨衛機關對國內維穩控制，效忠對象問題，令元首地位一直牢固掌握。隨戰爭形勢惡化，當中部份選擇軍事政變一途，發展出44年7月20狼寨的刺殺行動。但可以説，葛漢思、Schacht、Thomas 都沒有直接參與。

政變後，他們收監但不至死。45年投降時蔣介石曾致盟軍說項。戰後中國多事，這些小插曲再無人想起。最後只知葛漢斯，於57年曾向國家興訟，追討經濟損失敗訴。往後如何，再無從稽考 。

From left - Hjalmar Schacht, Karl Blessing (1900-1971), Emil Puhl and von Wedel at a meeting in the Reichsbank transfer commission in 1934. Blessing was already an assistant to Schacht during Weimar era. He was seconded to the Reich Ministry of Economics in 1934. After the July 20 assassination, he managed to evade massive man-hunt by the Gestapo. 

General of Infantry Georg R. Thomas | At at reception in Hannover, the German general of infantry Georg Thomas shaking hands with ally Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, at the presence of von Ribbentrop and Otto Meissner.aBerlin, 12th November 1940. According the US interrogation in Nov 1945, Thomas states that an opposition group was formed against Fuehrer after the Fritsch Affair in Feb 1938, incl Witzleben, Beck, Oester, Canaris, Dohnaye, Olbricht, Count Brockdorf, Stuelpnagel, Wagner, Fellgiebel and Thomas himself; whereas civilians involved Goerdeler, Popitz, Ambassador Hassel, Dr Joseph Mueller, State sec. Plank, Gisevius, and later members of trade union thru Goerdeler.

Left to Right :  Franz von Papen, Hjalmar Schacht, and Hans Fritzsche after their acquittal at Nuremberg; 1946.

Interrogation of General Georg R. Thomas by Captain Nordon at Reservelazarett Falkenhaus i. Taunus, Nuremberg, Germany: International Military Tribunal, 1945-11-09

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NOTE: -

1.Export of Tungsten between 1925 and 1933. note that Canton control most of the natural resources.  Note volumes this part of arms deals through Kowloon of Hong Kong between 1928 and 1931.

2. No fewer than 3 government agencies competed to direct the overall effort of rearmament program.  :

• the Defense Economy and Weapons Branch in the War Ministry's Armed Forces Office - Colonel Georg Thomas 34-42
• the Plenipotentiary General for the War Economy - Hjalmar Horace Greeley Schacht 34-37
• the Plenipotentiary General for the Four-Year Plan - Hermann Göring

3. Career of Georg Thomas

• 1928-1934 Heereswaffenamt (Ordnance Dept)
• 1934-1942 Chief of Wirtschaftsstab (the institution of Economics)
• 1942 Chief of office in Ruestungsamt (Armaments Office)

4. 當中有潘霍華。此部門，正正是早前爆出Chanel為線人的部門




REFERENCE: -

Web:

• CHINA 1. BÜRGERLICHE REPUBLIK, Los Nr. 4388, Umfangreicher Dokumentennachlass des deutschen Waffenhändlers Hans "China" Klein (1879 - nach 1957) aus den 1930er bis 1950er Jahren

Publication:

• Interrogation of General Georg R. Thomas by Captain Nordon at Reservelazarett Falkenhaus i. Taunus, Nuremberg, Germany: International Military Tribunal, 1945-11-09
• Wilhelm Deist, Manfred Messerschmidt, Hans-Erich Volkmann, and Wolfram Wette, Germany and the Second World War, Volume 1: The Build-up of German Aggression, Clarendon Press (1990)
• Geoffrey P. Megargee,  Inside Hitler's High Command, University Press of Kansas (2000)
• Gen. Walter Warlimont, Inside Hitler's Headquarters, Presidio (1991) p59
• Laurence Rees, The Nazis: a warning from history, BBC Worldwide (1997)
• 楊天石，《找尋真實的蔣介石：蔣介石日記解讀（二）》 香港：三聯書店 2010。
• 《德國軍事顧問團與中德軍火貿易關係的推展》
• 《盧溝橋事變前德國對華軍援與影響》