Page "Kurt von Schleicher" Paragraph 4

At the same time, a team from Sondergruppe R comprising Schleicher, Eugen Ott, Fedor von Bock and Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord formed the liaison with Major Bruno Ernst Buchrucker, who led the so-called Arbeits-Kommandos ( Work Commandos ), which officially was a labor group intended to assist with civilian projects, but in reality were thinly disguised soldiers that allowed Germany to exceed the limits on troop strength set by Versailles.

Buchrucker ′ s so-called " Black Reichswehr " became infamous for its practice of murdering all those Germans whom it was suspected were working as informers for the Allied Control Commission, which was responsible for ensuring that Germany was in compliance with Part V of the Treaty of Versailles.

The killings perpetrated by the " Black Reichswehr were justifed under the so-called Femegerichte ( secret court ) system in which alleged traitors were killed after being " convicted " in secret " trials " that the victim was unaware of.

These killings were ordered by officers from Sondergruppe R as the best way to neutralize the efforts of the Allied Control Commission.

Regarding the Femegerichte murders, Carl von Ossietzky wrote: " Lieutenant Schulz ( charged with the murder of informers against the " Black Reichswehr ") did nothing but carry out the orders given him, and that certainly Colonel von Bock, and probably Colonel von Schleicher and General Seeckt, should be sitting in the dock beside him ".

Several times Schleicher perjured himself in court when he denied that the Reichswehr had anything to do with the " Black Reichswehr " or the murders they had committed.

In a secret letter sent to the President of the German Supreme Court, which was trying a member of the Black Reichswehr for murder, Seeckt admitted that the Black Reichswehr was controlled by the Reichswehr, and claimed that the murders were justified by the struggle against Versailles, so the court should acquit the defendant.

Following the hyper-inflation that destroyed the German economy in 1923, between September 1923-February 1924 the Reichswehr took over much of the administration of the country, a task that Schleicher played a prominent role in, and which left him with a taste for power.

Though Seeckt disliked Schleicher, he appreciated his political finesse and came to increasingly assign Schleicher tasks dealing with politicians