Editing Franz Xaver Schwarz (section)

==Party administrator==

On March 23 1934, Hitler gave Schwarz full authority for the financial affairs of the party. Hitler attended Schwarz's 60th birthday celebration on November 27 1935. Hitler's will, dated May 2 1938 (which left his entire fortune to the party) included the provision that it be opened in Schwarz's presence.

Besides the party treasury (largely based on membership dues), Schwarz was responsible for the central assignment of NSDAP unique membership numbers. When members died or stopped paying dues, the old numbers were not freed up for new members. If old members picked up their dues later a new party number would be assigned. Ten million membership numbers had been assigned by 1945, with about 2.4 million active members. Schwarz's able administration of party funds insured a cash balance of one billion reichmarks by the end of the war.

Schwarz was regarded as an able administrator who generally kept out of party politics. For instance, he is only mentioned twice in [[Joseph Goebbels]]'s diaries. The first time (April 9 1926), Goebbels wrote dismissingly of him, but by November 1944, the Propaganda Minister's attitude had changed; he now regarded Schwarz as one of the most reliable and respectable party men.