Evening star., 1937-04-16
Putzi's Cautious Adieu
Hit1er's Former Confdant Loses Favor, But Not
His Lfe-Yet.

ally was rewarded for his efforts by
a session in the German concentra-
ton camp-an adventurous gentleman
OF the earlier vintage of Nazis, when
most OF them were adventurers-
makes two claims to fame.
Opened Society's Door.
Eventually, however, Putzi performed
greater services. For 1t was he who
introduced Hitler into society. The
Hanfstaengeb belong to the upper
crust Of the Munich bourgeoisie, rich,
civilized, patrons Of art and music,
living in the aroma of good food,
handsome furniture and general
culture.
Mr.. Hitler's followers were handful
OF impoverished workmen, down-at-
the-heels journalists, dreamy cafe
philosophers and the backwash of the
recent war. But Putzi knew the re-
spectacle people. Through him the
messiah Of German nationalism sat at
the tables OF the substantial, and en-
tranced the wealthy Frau Beckstein
(pianos) and the influential Frau
Winifred Wagner Of Bayreuth. The
ex-house painter, ex-soldier and Ger
man regenerator began to rise in the
world. Putzi's dollar primed the pump
for many more.
OF the original Nazis few could speak
another language than their own, and
Hitler himself still speaks, not German.
but that other winsome, somewhat
more slushy tongue, Austrian. But
Putzi's mother had been a Sedgwick of
Boston, and he was graduate Of Har-
ward. who had leaned his vast length
across the counter Of the family's
branch shop in Manhattan, where
prints Of classic pictures once were
sold. What more natural than that
Putd should become official trans
lator and liaison officer, first to the
pretender, and later to the ruler?
Air Castles on Piano.
Evenings he sat at the piano, bang
ing out in his florid and not untalented
style the music that Hitler loves; tunes,
above all, from the Wagner operas,
while the susceptible Muencher lolled
in his chair with half closed eyes, and
dreamed, no doubt, of the dwarf who
cursed love to win the ring with which
he might rule the world; of Wotan In
his giants palace Of Walhalla OF
Siegfried denying death. All these
great dramas whose eternal theme Is
power enchant der Fuehrer, and Mr.
Hanfstaengel must have felt as he beat
the piano onward and upward to ever
dizzier heights with his chief, that the
formed into Wagner opera with him.
self very important in the orchestra.
And now, alas! alas! The struggle
was romantic, dramatic, sometimes
even lyric. Our little group Of men!
Our band of heroes! With victory
the heroes became bureaucrats. Putzi
sat at a desk, hateful desk, piled
high with reports, statements, letters
to be answered, decisions to be made.
Il will take great pleasure in calling
the attention Of Der Fuehrer to = ="
L regret that I am compelled
to >"
One made mistakes. Sometimes
ones coup cut the wrong way. Bureau
cracy! Oficialdom! And even the
desk was threatened by that greedy,
gossiping, intriguing, ambitious, grin
ming Goebbels Oh, it Is tiring, and
often boring, to be one Of the ruling!
The Trials Of Power.
Sometimes, they say, PutH swept
all the papers of his desk in a snarl
of rage and Illustration. The revolu-
ton had been vibrant with brasses,
rhythmic with marching feet, and one
marched, too, composing odes to
heroes. But victory was dusty papers
in an Office and lines Of men with their
hats in their hands. Poor Mr..
Hanfstaengel
But Mr.. Hanfstaengel is no fool.
He is a man from the inside. So-the
reports say-he is writing his memoirs.
To file away in safe, with the key
in the hands OF publisher, and If
anything happens" to him, as things
do happen, even in foreign lands. his
posthumous words will tell ALL A
genteel blackmail to disarm assassins
I hope nothing happens" to Mr..
Hanfstaengel. In the Nibelungen
gloom of Germany, he furnished a
quixotic and fantastic note In any
thing happened" to Putzi, I believe
should drop tear
Copyright. 1879