The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-18
Mother Was bohemian

served the HapSburg emperor on tne
Austro- Bavarian border.
Mother Was Bohemian
And Hitler's mother was not even
an Austrian. She was Bohemian, a
Czech from Prague.
They made a strange trio, the viii
layers thought. each devoted to a
different race.
OF course, the village never paid
more than passing attention to the
Hitlers, and especially to little Adolf.
No one then dreamed that this
sickly-looking youngster would be-
come one of the worlds greatest
political leaders, chieftain of Ger
manys 100000 Fascist and per-
haps future chancellor of the reich.
And if you had told them that
this boy would some day threaten
the peace of Europe and the world,
as well, the villagers would have
thought you mad.
Only Kings Counted
They knew better, in those days
only kings and princes could threat
en- the worlds peace. Who then
could have dreamed that a mere
commoner would some day hold in
his hands the fate of present-da
Germany? Or that he would be
able to plunge Europe into war by
q few rash words?
Today, Lambach has seen all of
these things come true. OF course.
there are the usual Il told you sos"
who stoutly contend that they knew
all along that Adolf Hitler was 60
ing to be a great man when he grew
up.
They cite the significance of the
boys fondnec, for the Prussian
goose step and German songs. That
proves. they say, that even then the
lad had his eyes and heart turned
toward Germany.
But most of the villagers frankly
admit that they never thought much
of young Hitler's chances for sue
cess. Why, he was not even bright
in school, rather stupid pupil, they
recall.
lie was Puny Lad
Besides he was so puny. Now if
it had been Butcher Schmidt's son,
a smart student and rosy-cheeked
and husky besides But, alas for the
villages hopes, Butcher Schmidt's
son was destined to follow his
fathers profession.
OF course, every one in Lambach
now is familiar with the rise to
power of Adolf Hitler. They follow
his daily activities eagerly in the
Vienna and Munich papers.
They know, for example, that Herr
Hitler was refused the chancellor
ship of Germany by his wartime
commanderin-c hief, now President
Paul Won Hindenburg But the vii
layers believe Adolf will get it any,
way. And they are probably right.
If Lambach is proud Of its diStin-
guished citizen. the latter does not
return the compliment. In fact, Hit
Ter today is rather reticent on the
subject of his childhood.
Retic"nt About Lambach
Ask him about his war record and
his political success, and he will talk
for hours. But when you mention
Lambach. he shuts up and refuses
to talk. No one can quite under
stand why.
Hitler is particularly close
mouthed on the subject of his par
ents. He seems to be ashamed of
his mothers Bohemian origin.
Perhaps it does not fit in we'll
with his vehement denunciations of
all non-German nationalities and
his program to purge the Father
land of Jews, Slavs and similar
races.
Yet, Hitler's Bohemian ancestors
gave him one of his greatest gifts,
a fair for oratory. His speeches
have fluency and tang that smacks
of the Slav, rather than of the
German.
Gifted as Orator
He, alone of all Germany's politi-
cal leaders, is at his ease in adj
dressing a crowd. While the others
0AoAAAAA4NA aAAA hAQA4NCA lllLOQkLl
prepared speeches, in heavy-tongued
Teuton fashion, Hitler speaks for
hours, naturally and without con-
Sulting a note.
Furthermore. 1t was Lambach
which gave young Hitler his first
dreams of greatness 1t was in the
little village school that he studied
the lives of Alexander the Great.
julius Caesar and Charlemagne, the
famous dictatorS of the past.
They were his heroes and he often
dreamed of following in their foot
steps as the dictator of his favorite
country, Germany.
That dream already is close to
realization.