The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy

by Adam Tooze

Greeting the aircraft industrialists in solemn silence with arm raised in salute, Goering announced the Fuehrer’s intention to re-establish Germany as an air power within the next twelve months. Every aircraft firm would have to accept its integration into the overall plan laid down by the RLM. The first programme was built around the existing designs, with Junkers and Dornier providing a makeshift bomber force, and Arado and Heinkel responsible for fighters, reconnaissance, ground attack and trainers. The new aircraft plants were to be ‘trained up’ by the established producers. Under tight supervision from the Ministry, the industry underwent a phenomenal expansion, from less than 4,000 workers in January 1933 to almost 54,000 two years later. At the same time the Air Ministry issued design contracts for an entire new generation of aircraft and aero-engines. It was after 1935, in the second phase of expansion, that Junkers, Dornier and Heinkel established themselves as the lead developers of bombers and Willy Messerschmitt’s BfW gained its dominant position in fighter design and production.