On September 1, 1939 the United Kingdom and France declared war against [the Third Reich] for its invasion to Poland. […] In May, 1940, [the] battle started on the western front. [The Third Reich] brought under its control Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium and France in a very short period. Ford Germany had accounted for about one fourth, or the second largest share, of production of army and transport trucks in [the Third Reich]²⁵). It is estimated that of the 350,000 trucks held by the [Wehrmacht] in 1942, about 120,000 were made by Ford Germany²⁶). We will later discuss in detail the company’s war production. First, however, we should have a look at changes in Ford Motor’s European organizations necessitated with the escalation of war.

Ford Belgium (Antwerp) had been under control of Ford Britain with a 60% interest. On May 29, 1940, [Berlin] appointed Ford Germany president Robert H.Schmidt to be Kommisar (trustee) for Ford Belgium²⁷). Also, on June 12 and on June 24 he was appointed to be Verwalter (trustee) for Ford Holland (Amsterdam), which was owned 60% by Ford Britain, and to be Kommisar for Ford France (Paris), which was under control of Ford Motor Co., having a dominating 80% stake, respectively. Likewise, Vitgar, a German Ford director of Danish nationality, was sent to Ford Denmark to serve as a coordinator, and so forth. For each of these, R.H. Schmidt wrote to the American headquarters²⁸).

(Emphasis added.)