Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-06
(Fitth OF a Serics.J
BY COUNT FoLKE BERNADOTTE.

trVEt W DCf tCSsJ
BY COUNT FoLKE BERNADOTTE.
Walter Schellenberg, chief of
German intelligence, continues his
account of what went on behind
the scenes as the end of the war
approached.
"In long talks with Heinrich
Himmler, I tried to show him that
there was no longer any question
of being true to his oath to Hitler,
but that surrender was a matter Of
life and death for the German peo-
Pile. His reply was always: Then
what you want me to do is to elm
mate the Fuehrer?'
There was time when couldn't
answer this In the Affirmative, for
If I had, I ran the risk of being
liquidated.' The influence Of
Fegelein, Ernst Kaltenbrunner,
Observation-Disclosures Otto Skor-
zeny, the chief of the 'Werewolves,'
and others of their kind was still
great: especially as they had the
right to report personally to Hitler.
During these talks, Himmler
often spoke to me about the state
of Hitler's health, which, according
to lon. was becoming worse from
day to day. Himmler said, however,
that Hitler's energy was undimip-
ished His abnormal way of life,
his habit of turning night into day
and only sleeping two or three
hours, his restless activity and con-
tinual outbursts of rage, completely
exhausted those near him and made
the whole atmosphere unbearable.
HitIer's eHalth Failing.
st suggested that the attempt OF
July 20 on his life may have seri-
ously affected his health, particu-
larry the injuries to his head.
Himmler thought this possible, but
he pointed out the significance of
Hitler's STOPPING more and more, of
his slack appearance and the
marked tremor in his left arm.
1T was in connection with these
reports-personally I had not seen
Hitler for long time-that early
in April I spoke to a friend of
mine, Prof. De Crinis, head OF the
psychiatric section of the Charlie
Hospital. He said he had observed
from photographs in the illustrated
papers that Hitler's movements APP
peared almost paralyzed, and this
he regarded as symptom of Park
inson's disease paralysis agitans)
Il arranged a meeting between
Himmler and De Crinis, to which
Himmler summoned the minister of
health, Leonardo Cont.
"A few days later-it was April
13-Himmler summoned me to his
headquarters in Wustrow and took
me for a walk in the forest.
"'Schellenberg,' he said, I don't
think that we can let the Fuehrer
go on any longer. Do you believe
that De Crinis was right?'
Himmler Asks Advice.
II answered, Yes, it is true that
it is two or three years since I met
Hitler, but from what I can judge
of his behavior in recent times, I
am convinced that it is high time
for you to act
Again and again he asked me
what he could do. He said that
after all he could not murder the
Fuehrer, he could not give him poi
son, nor could he arrest him In
the Reichs chancellery, for in that
case the whole military machine
would come to a stop.
II replied that this would not
matter. There was only one way
out. He must present himself before
Hitler, inform him of everything
that had happened recently and
force him to abdicate.
"Himmler said that this was alb
solutely impossible. The Fuehrer
would shoot him on the spot.
"'You must take suitable precau-
tons to prevent this I said. After
all you have sufficient number OF
SIS men capable of arranging an
arrest of this kind If there is no
other way, we must get the doctors
to help
No Decision Reached.
Our walk went on for an hour
and half. Himmler could not come
to a decision; said only that he
would arrange a meeting between
Prof. de Crinis, Prof Morell, Hit
ler's body physician; DR.. Stumpfeg-
ger, his other physician, and Martin
Bormann.
"a couple of days later, I asked
Prof. de Crinis what conclusion he
and his colleagues had reached. He
answered rather disappointedly that
he had discussed with DR.. Stump
fegger the supposed symptoms Of
Parkinson's disease. DR.. Stumpfeg-
ger had not shared his opinion, al
though he had to accept some of his
points. In the end, they had agreed
on certain medicines.
II reported this to Himmler, who
begged me insistently to keep this
matter entirely to myself.
During the days which followed
events began to move In the direc.
ton I had long anticipated. Dur.
ing the first week In April, I got
into touch with the minister fol
finance, Count Schwerin Won Kro.
sigk.
Wars End Was Aim.
"In several long talks, we agreed
that the war must be brought Il
an end, to save as much Of Ger.
many as possible.
II arranged a meeting for Apri
10 between Himmler and Won Kro
sigk. Relations between those tws