Montagu Norman
playerMoney & Finance
The head of Britain's central bank handed Nazi Germany 23 tons of stolen Czech gold — money that helped arm the invasion of Poland.
Who they are
Montagu Norman, Governor of the Bank of England and a member of the Anglo-German Fellowship.
What they do
The engine records him as a case of a nation's central bank financing its own future enemy.
How it works
After Germany occupied Prague in March 1939, he authorized transferring 23 tons of Czech gold (5.6 million pounds) to the Nazi Reichsbank via the Bank for International Settlements, despite an official British asset freeze; the gold gave Hitler hard currency to buy raw materials for the invasion of Poland six months later.
Why it matters
It's a stark documented example of high finance operating across the lines of national loyalty, arming an enemy against its own country's interest.
The engine's record — word for word
Governor of the Bank of England. Anglo-German Fellowship member. Authorized transfer of 23 tons of Czech gold (5.6M pounds) to Nazi Reichsbank via BIS after German occupation of Prague (Mar 1939) — despite official British asset freeze. The gold provided Hitler hard currency to purchase raw materials for the invasion of Poland 6 months later. The central bank of Britain financing the arming of its future enemy.
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