The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-08-29
CHAPTER VIII

(fA%f AE8 VIII
Hitler did not dare risk the pre-
sershed popular election but had
his own henehmen make him head
Of the state. sim. everything de-
pended on whether the generals
would accept this stroke 81 force.
Ths was possible on,y because the
then War Minister Won RlomherE
supported him In = proclamation
Actually. Hiomberg voluntarily
gave Hitler = new title and sd-
dressed him in this proclamation
a. eFuehrer Of the German Reich
and People" On the same day.
the German army pledged al
leKisnee to = new chief executive
who. with such rank. does not
even exist.
After all this was over. Hitler
scheduled popular election In
which the German people were per-
mitted to confirm the nsurpslicn
Of their highest leadership. To
make this election absolutely safe.
"a testament was needed from
Hindenhnrg. However. on August
%, Il days after Hindenhurk's
death. no such testament was yet
known either TO his own son or
10 the secretary Of state. Meissner.
Suddenly. four days before the
election, there appeared a testA-
ment. Just discovered. which the
London Times called At once
equally important a. the Reich
stag fire"
Nobody has ever e H. the
original manuscript has never been
photographed. thu place where II
was found and the reason why u
was not found earlier were never
announced. Half Of u consists Of
excerpts from Hindcnburg's me-
moirs. The other half u an ex-
preston OF hope that the move
ment of my Chancellor Adolf
Hitler" may continue 10 benefit
the German people.
Emphasized In Speech
This was emphasized the day
before election In a radio speech
by Hindenburg's son In words 10
the effect that his father had
seen in Hitler his immediate sue
cessor NJ head of the German ma
ton. In spite of all these tricks.
more than five million Germans
at that time still refused 10 ac-
quiescc, which In the face OF strict
supervision OF what could no longer
be called an election. appeared a.
a great demonstration Of the last
UNSOLICITED Germans.
Notwithstanding all his strokes
OF force. however. Hitler without
doubt has given the Germans posi-
tive successes. What then did Hit
Ter bring the Germans Tho COM
mand and the sword. Since they
the only such nation In history
obey not out OF necessity but
out Of passion, they were fright
cned by that liberty which was
granted To them for only II years
of their history. They were happy
only when they again had some
one TO command them. When Hit
Ter in a momentous speech hurried
the word obedience at them three
times In succession, the radio
waves trembled with the storm Of
frenzy his word aroused in the
crowd.
Sword symbolical
As for the sword, IL Is merely
symbolical, for the truth IL that
swords nowadays exist only In his
toricsl films. They are no longer
used in war. where the machine
gun. a less romantic subject for
pictures and songs. has taken its
place. The German sword which
the victorious enemy had torn from
them and which now was entrusted
10 them by Hitler. was for this
thoroughly bellicose nation the
great gift and the final fulfillment
of a passionate desire. For three
hundred years. and particularly the
last 80, the uniform had dominated
German streets.
The lieutenant wal the dream Of
all young girls medals. psrsdes.
flags were the glamour Of life. All
this had been non-existsnt for the
past IL years because a nation Just
defeated cannot be lifted 10 rapid
ly, neither materially nor spiritual
ly; also. because the leaders Of the
republic lacked Imagination. Yet
when there was again a helmet for
every barber and high boots for
every chimney-sweep. the hearts
OF this soldierly nation sxulied.
There are today in Germany more
riding boots than In the psmpas.
but no horsmen. Richard Wagner
had restored the symbolic value Of
the German sword. and every one
Of his listeners felt personally In
plicated when. on the opers stage.
he saw sisgmund drawing the
sword from the sshfree.