Documentation of the Reichschatzmeister (State Finance Minister) of the Nazi Party, 1934-1944

Documentation of the Reichschatzmeister (State Finance Minister) of the Nazi Party, 1934-1944
 
 The Office of the Reichschatzmeister (State Finance Minister) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP-Nazi Party) was derived from the Finance Committee of the National Socialist German Workers Union whose Treasurer since 1925, Franz Xaver Schwartz, also became the head of that office. The Office was given its final legal structure on 29 March 1935, through the Verordnung zur Durchfuehrung des Gesetzes zur Sicherung der Einheit von Partei und Staat (Ordinance on Enforcement of the Law for Securing the Unity of Party and State). It had extraordinary status within the party organization. The State Finance Minister of the Nazi Party was responsible not only for all financial matters of the NSDAP but also for financial matters pertaining to all associated bodies and federations appended to it. Supervision over the financial administration of the organizations and the auditing of their funds were within its purview. It was also within its authority to deal with matters pertaining to members of the organizations and their real estate and tax administration. Additionally, it determined aspects of the Heimtueckegesetz (the Treachery Act) which related to improper utilization of Party symbols.
 
 After 30 May 1935 five Main Offices made up the Office of the Reichschatzmeister of the Nazi Party:
 I. Stabsamt (The Staff Office);
 
 II. Reichshaushaltsamt (The Reich Budget Office); 
 
 III. Rechnungsamt (The Accounts Office) 
 
 IV. Verwaltungsamt (The Administration Office) 
 
 V. Rechtsamt (The Law Office)
 
 Over the course of time the organizational structure was frequently changed, until it included ten Main Offices, seven Dienststellen (Directories-independent Service Offices) and two Sonderbeauftragte (Special Representative Offices) with special responsibilities.
 
 Most of the files of Record Group NS1 are from Offices I to V; they pertain almost exclusively to Party bureaucracy and bookkeeping, including, for example, thick accounts books of various Party bodies. More interesting is that part of the Records Group concerned with real estate (from Main Office V - Rechtsamt). Here much material regarding Entjudung (the elimination of Jewish persons from real-estate ownership) and the acquisition of Jewish real estate by the NSDAP and its member and associate organizations, is saved.