Evening star., 1933-03-05

fatal, he would have remained in this
country for longer time.
After having assisted in nquidating
the affairs Of his father in Munich and
after having served in the army. Hanf-
staengl came back to the United States
in 1911. He was to have stayed here
only few years, but the war came and
he could not 60 back despite the efforts
Of friends to smuggle him out Of the
country. The New York branch of his
firm was seized as alien property and
Hanfstaengl found American life less
amusing than on his previous visit. He
Of 10 years.
A year after his arrival in Europe
he met Hitler and became his press
representative. 1t was Hanfstaengl who
coached the young National Socialist
leader in the introduction Of high
pressure American advertising methods.
The cult Of personality until then was
almost unknown in German political
life. The principle was the thing. and
not its spoke Sman. But now Hanf-
staengl began to put Hitler across" as
he had seen the thing done for Ameri-
can politicians.
Masses Rally to Hitler.
At first the parties opposing Hitler
could not suppress supercilious smiles.
What could the uneducated little
Austrian with the funny mustache do
to them? But gradually the magic of
a names constant repetition began to
exercise its influence. Many who would
have found national socialism abstract
and unintereSting found Hitler an in
teresting man. The German masses,
whose political maturity had been
overestimated. rallied around him.
Hitler's publicity was unrivalled, and
unheralded politicians sank into OBJ
livion, eclipsed by this new star in the
political armament. How much of
this was due to Hanfstaengl and how
much to Hitler's native genius Is a
question.
HanfStaengl now specializes in the
foreign press. Hitler gives him credit
for having made his name a by-word
In the English countries.
While Hitler's publicity in the United
States is far from favorable to him, the
articles published about him are
abundant Hitler has used his Ameri-
can publicity for bolstering his reputa-
tion in the Reich. When he was still
one of the prophets crying in the
wilderness it was his custom to take
around full-page American articles in
an effort to convince the skeptics that
even in the matter-of fact United
States he was accepted as the coming
man.
Known Little Among People.
So good is Hanfstaengl as publicity
agent that even today people know
very little about him and know much
oh IL -lt
are inclined to believe that his person.
atty is more colorful than his chiefs.
For one thing. Hanfstaengl Is an artist
of some ability. If the whispers of his
intimates can be trusted His water
colors are said to show talent He also
is musical; one of his ambitions is to
compose stirring Hitler march, some
thing In the nature Of the 'Marseil-
laise." He has composed a military
march. dedicated to Hitler which had
its Official first performance over the
Bavarian radio, but it is far from the
ideal he had in mind.
Under the title, From Marlborough
to Mirabeau," Hanfstaengl has written
historical booklet in which he tries
to elucidate 18th century German
history through its reflections abroad.
In this book the theory is set forth
lIldL 1eTHldIlyS liver OF OeStlny Is not
the Rhine, but the Danube, along the
banks of which some of her most de-
cisive battles took place. Through such
works Hanfstaengl, the Americanized
personality salesman, pays homage to
his Germanic past.
1t was in Hanfstaengls house in the
Bavarian Alps that Adolf Hitler took
refuge after his unsuccessful attempt
in 1923 to seize the reins of Germany
In that house he was captured, to be
taken to Munich, placed on trial for
high treason and sentenced to Jail.
In one way or another, each Of the
three men mentioned here had a part
in the beer hall revolution Of Munich.
They are the old guard, Adolf Hitlers
confidential men, the witnesses of a
long struggle which led him from jail
to the ,chancellorship.