Evening star., 1934-08-02
Absolute Rule
Is Taken by
Nazi Chief.
NEW LAW GIVES
WIDEST POWER
Army Allegiance
Transfer Arranged
as Berlin MOurns.

Copyright. 1884 by the Associated PressD
BERLIN, August 2. - Chancellor
Adolf Hitler made himself absolute
and unquestioned dictator Of Ger
many today by a virtual coup d'etat.
The Austrian-born former lance
corporal became President as well as
chancellor OF Germany at 9 am.
when President Paul Won Hindenburg,
s6-year-old field marshal. died at his
country estate at Neuddek.
Hitlers cabinet ministers last night
had prepared a decree setting forth
that their chief should be President
when Won Hindenburg died. Conse-
uuently, Germany was not without
President for even a minute.
Piebiscite Is Ordered.
Within seven hours Of the time Of
The former Presidents death, the gov
eminent had decreed that the Ger
man public shall hold presidential
plebiscite August 10. destined to SHOW
whether the country approves of its
new President and the Nan govern
ment.
ARRANGEMENTS were begun for state
ly funeral rites for Won Hindenburg.
Il was decided that a great nation
wide burial service shall be held at
II am. Tuesday at Tannenburg,
where the field marshal turned back
the invading Russians In 1914.
Even with the cabinets full ap-
proval of his presidency, Hitler made
assurance doubly sure by receiving
from the Heimwehr-the standing
army of Germany-an oath OF al
legiance to him personally. 1t was ad-
ministered to the fighting men by
Werner Won Blomberg, minister OF
war. and reads:
II swear by God this holy oath:
That I shall be aEsclutely obedient
TO Der Fuehrer (the leader) OF the
German Reich and people, Adolf
Hitler, supreme head Of the army,
and that I will be ready as q brave
soldier 10 give my life for this oath"
The ceremony OF oath-taking Will
be followed by three cheers for the
new supreme army COMMUNICATIVE
is also the supreme commander OF the
NaA Storm Troops and their black
shirted brethren, the Schultz Staffel-
and by the two German national
anthems, Deutschland Uber Allies"
and the Horst Vessel Song" the lat
ter q Nazi anthem
Funeral at Tannenburg.
Funeral services for Won Hinden-
burg are to be held tomorrow at Tan
nenburg, where he stopped the Rus
sian advance in 1914, and he is to be
buried Saturday at Neudeck, 80 miles
away. on the grounds of the estate
where he died.
1t was expected that the presidential
plebiscite will have the double purpose
of expressing an Endorsement of Hitler
as President and of the policies of the
NaZi government.
The President had been critically
I'll only since Sunday. Physicians
have expressed amazement at his
hearts stubborn resistance to disease
and the infirmitieS of age.
When word came, Hitler and his
NaA cabinet were prepared. In
guarded session last night the cabinet
adopted a decree revoking a law of
1882 under which the President of the
Supreme Court would become interim
President.
When news Of Won Hindenburg's
end was received Paul Joseph Goeb-
bels, propaganda minister, rushed to
q microphone He announced to the
nation that the two Offices Of Presi-
dent and chancellor had been merged.
Hitler thus assumed absolute power
over the third Reich.
The lowering of the flag to half
STAFF at Neudeck told Germany and
the world of the death it had expected.
Germany went into mourning on
the twentieth anniversary of its con-
scription of troops for the World War.
Members of his immediate family
were at Won Hindenburg's bedside.
They were his son, Col Oskar Won
Hindenburg, and two married daugh-
ters, Frau 1rimearde Won Brockhusen
and Frau Anna Marie Won Bentz.
Won Hindenburg's wife died in 1921.
A few hours before his death the
former field marshal slipped into
coma.
Prostate trouble combined with
1nfirmities of age to cause his death
One of his physicians said his mind
wandered last night, hours after his
end had been expected.
The cabinet admonished the Ger
man people to go into general mourn
ing. Flags will fly at half-Staff from
all public buildings and schools. Ships
Continued on Page 3, Column g.