I mentioned a few days ago that I would post my thoughts on Mr Speer so here they are. These are
opinions based on a fair bit of reading and study over the years.
The very first "historical text" of World War II that I read was Mr. Speer's
Inside the Third Reich. At the time I was about 16 years old (that would be about 30 years ago) and I found him believable. I have since come to the conclusion that he was less than truthful with respect to his knowledge of the atrocities committed under the regime of Nazi Germany and its allies. Knowing what I do know now, I would ask how someone with so high a position in government and knowledge in buildings, munitions, and engineering of the Reich not know? Simple. He either winked and looked the other way, or he lied. Either way, he "knew". Add to that his close personal relationship with Hitler and it becomes nearly impossible to believe otherwise.
Of course no one knows for sure what
exactly he knew, and he took that information to his grave with him. As for punishment, well, he did plead guilty and admit to at least
some of his crimes.
Here he is in Paris, on the left, with
Der Führer and Arno Breker on June 23, 1940.
Adolf_Hitler_in_Paris.jpg