- On the orders of the Nazi government, Steinway & Sons in Hamburg uses its precious supply of seasoned red beech to build 100 decoy wooden airplanes, almost 12,000 beds for air raid shelters, and countless rifle stocks and packing crates.
- Steinway & Sons in Hamburg receives Nazi government permission to build pianos, so that the government can trade them for iron ore and cannons with Sweden and Norway, and for hard currency with Switzerland. Steinway Pianofabrik builds a little over 1,000 pianos during this period.