Evening star., 1943-03-22
Hitler Speech Subdued
AS He Emerges From
133-Day Silence
Claims Russion Crisis
Is Past, but Admits
War Zones in Reich
fSee Tert on Page A-5.)

fSee TeTt on Page A-5.)
By the Associated Press
LONDON, March 22.-Adolf Hitler
emerged yesterday from l33-day
silence, which had given rise to
rumors of his illness or death. to
tell the German people in \ radio
broadcast the crisis on the Russian
front had been surmounted, assure
them their losses in war dead were
relatively small. and yet admit that
many parts Of Germany had become
war zones" as a result OF incessant
Allied bombing.
Listeners who have heard many
of Hitler's speeches said they were
convinced it was his voice they
heard.
In one Of the shortest and most
subdued speeches he has ever deliv-
cred, the Fuehrer told q German
war-dead memorial day gathering
at the Zaughaus military museum)
in Berlin. the fourth such assem-
blage since the war began, that
$4,000 German soldiers had been
killed since the start of the conflict.
premier Joseph Stain has set
the total of German dead on the
eastern front at 100000, and
Germany's own admissions of
losses in their entrapment and
defeat at Stalingrad would ap-
pear to make Hitler's total figure
for two years of war unduly low
Reports War Output Rising.
Hitler told his people the army,
despite its losses, was being rapidly
strengthened by additional classes
Of servicemen and the return OF
wounded men who had recovered.
At the same time, he said, war
production at home. spurred by the
new total mobilization" OF the
German people, was rising as a
result of the utilization of older
men. youths and hundreds OF thou
sands of women and girls.
Thanks to the sacrifices and he
rism Of our soldiers on the eastern
front we have succeeded in over
coming the crisis definitely into
which Cur army had been plunged
undeservedly," Hitler said.
He assured his listeners: "Our
front has been stabilized and we
have taken measures which will
secure in the months ahead of us
success until nnal victory is
achieved
While again picturing Germany
as the bulwark of Europe against
an incursion from inner Asia" he
failed to repeat specific assurances
OF the smashing of the Russian
Armies, and produced nothing tc
match his declaration of March Is
194l, that England will fall"
Appearance Closely Guarded.
His closely guarded personal ap-
pearance before military onlcials
war wounded and q handful OF
Nazi dignitaries was not even re-
vealed over the air until so minutes
before he was scheduled to speak
Delivery of his speech then was
delayed a further 20 minutes, ap-
parently as precaution against
Allied air raid such aS those on
January 30 which marked speeches
Of Nazi leaders on the anniversary
OF the party's rise to power.
Hitler's failure to appear at that
meeting gave impetus to rumors
abroad of his death or incapacity.
The German radio threw further
confusion into speculation as to
whether Hitler might have beer
oeposed Or relinquished his control
over the armed forces.
A Transocean commentator took
occasion to say the Fuehrer spoke
not as leader OF the German peo-
pie, but as supreme commander OF
the German armed forces
Hitler. however, was surrounded
on the platform by such army big
wigs as Field Marshal Wilhelm