Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-02-11

Dimitroff, a young secretary of
the Bulgarian legation il Istanbul.
The death of Boris was mysteri-
i Gus. Some said he died suddenly
after too many bullets, and others
insisted that his death was from
natural causes. The truth seems
to lie somewhere in between, ac-
cording to our informant.
Bulgaria, the first to abandon
Germany in the last war, appar-
emily was about to repeat the per-
formance just before Italy surren-
dered. Hitler knows that there is
strong pro-Russian element
within Bulgaria, which has gained
power and prestige with Soviet
successes.
One day, two Bulgarian ''doc-
tors" arrived in Istanbul. These
men, surprisingly, had diplomatic
passports. They visited the Rus
sian ambassador, with whom they
lunched and had long talk, and
returned to Sofia the same eve-
ming. The next day Won Papen
talked to Nazi Foreign Minister
Won Ribbentrop on the telephone,
and a day later Boris was sum-
mOned to Berchtesgaden.
Hitler saluted lean, nervous Bo-
ris coldly. 1t had been Hitler's GUS
tom to greet Boris with kisses on
previous meetings. Now there were
none. In the room with Boris and
Hitler were Won Ribbentrop and
translator Schmidt, whose services
weren't required, for Boris spoke
German. Hitler began talking
calmly about the German grand
strategy and the benefits which
would accrue to Bulgaria in the
ultimate victory of the Reich, but
Boris looked timidly unimpressed.
Hitler Gets Eloquent
Hitler talked for two hours. BY
the time he was half way through
his oration, he had worked himself
up into a fury. He pounded his
desk with his clinched white fists,
shouting that Germany would not
tolerate any treachery, that Ger
many was not only fighting for it's
own salvation but also for that of
all Europe. Sofia, he yelled, would
be smashed like Belgrade if Bull
garia's filtration with Russia con-
tainued.
In the finale, Hitler showed a pa
per under Boris nose with the
command, "Sign that" 1t was an
alliance binding Bulgaria to Ger
many for the duration and specify
ing that all pro-Russian and anti
Nazi elements within the country
should be 'purged".
Boris asked for permission to
consult his ministers. He was told
that this wasn't necessary. Boris
said he hadn't the power to sign.
Hitler said "Sign!" and pushed a
pen in his hand. Boris collapsed.
Hitler's physician, Sauerbach, was
summoned. Boris had had a heart
attack. He rested for a while and
seemed able to talk when Hitler
again shouted to him to sign. Boris
had a second attack.
Fearful that Boris might die in
Berchtesgaden-which would have
been the worst possible kind of
anti-Nazi propaganda within Bul-
garia-Boris was loaded onto
special train in the company of
Hitler's own doctor and rushed to
Sofia. The king had stroke on
his arrival and died that night,
leaving Bulgaria in the hands of
the Naziphile Prime Minister FL
loft.
Turkey Quitting Nazis
Hitler has )een trying to put the
squeeze on another state in the
Balkan Turkey. BY an agree
ment obtained by Won Papen un-
der threat of invasion in 1941, Tur-
key is obliged to sell all its chrome
to Germany as of October, l943,
when the Anglo-Turkish treaty af-
fecting this valuable mineral ex-
pired. The first two ship loads,
bound for Constanta on the Black
sea, however, were torpedoed by
Russian submarines, and it is
doubtful whether Germany's COM
mercial treaty with Turkey will
greatly benefit the Reich.
That is apparently all right with
the Turks, who have been almost
completely in the Anglo-American
camp.
Money flows freely in Turkey.
Everyone seems to have plenty of
Turkish liras in Ankara and Is
tanbul, although the country itself
is saddled with the high cost of
maintaining a large army and is
actually extremely poor.
German Peace Planner
Won Papen at 70 looks like what
he is-the old and blunted tool of
German Balkan policy. He walks |
with his foxy head thrust forward.
Lately, Won Papen has been
talking freely to Turkish friends
about the possibility of the Fueh- !
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