The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-11-13
Austria
Confined from Page Onel

oversight Il discovered later no
one had thought OF taking my radio
set away or demolishing 1t.
II WIS in this way that | learn
cd from the news broadcasts that
| was enjoying a comfortable rest,
with the best OF treatment, at my
own eSats... That, by special ord
or OF Herr Reichstuehrer Himmler,
| was t be photographed, for n
picture story, by the well-known
photographer Holman and other
similar falsehoods.
After a full fortnight OF this
sort OF Nazi "softening up. came
my first Interrogation"
II was remarkable more for its
form than its content.
Ny house had been tightly sur
rounded by q double guard OF SIS.
men ind special Gestapo agents.
When | entered my sitting room |
was confronted by a group of SIS.
officials, in black uniform, seated
around the table, all with their
hats on and helping themselves
freely to my cigarettes.
Now and then. with their per-
mission, | was allowed to take one
OF my own cigarettes too.
With Prussian precision | was
told. scornfully, that my fate was
in the personal hands OF Hitler
himself who alone would give the
orders OF what was to be done from
then on"
They asked OF my relationship 10
the Monarchists. ! tried TO lead
the talk into more strictly political
channels to refute the ever recur-
ring SANDER against my person in
Hitler's speeches and in the press.
They replied they were not inter.
ested and asked me whether | was
related TO the House OF Rothschild
and whether | was a Freemason.
Then they went through the
whole house, searching | know not
what for since they didn't say.
Finding, OF course, nothing.
had kept only the Nazi govern
ments memorandum TO me-the
Gestaro didn't seem to be interest
ed in them.
They left. The oppressive guards
took up their insults, their noises,
their nerve-wracking ways.
At night, quietly | would turn
on the radio q feared II they heard
It someine might get the idea OF
breaking II just to be spitefuD
and listen 10 foreign broadcasts.
French stations gave me the
only comfort. have often want
ed to thank them for their oft.
spoken kind and brave words
Once I heard radio Strasbourg-
my favorlte friend-announce in
French that Hitler had decided to
have me arraigned before "a peo-
pies court" at Leipzig My heart
sank as the announcer added that,
from past experience, there could
be expected but one verdict:
death.
waited for the worst TO come.
Nothing happened.
But. day by day, the Nazi propa-
ganda machine threw up high
waves and, high up too went the
waves of popular enthusiasm.
From within my prison home
myself heard the mounting cries:
Back to the Reich. home in the
Reich We thank the Fuehrer.
One people, one Reich. one fuhrer."
All around there wasn't a single
house that didn't display at least
one swastika banner.
Each day a new mass meeting.
Each day new speeches. | could
hear the shouting and feel the
fever gripping Austria.
II seemed that Seyss-inquaTt and
others had all at once changed
horses entirely.
Then came the great voting Sun
day It. outcome-99 per cent for
the Anschluss-d surprise me
at all
knew that our poll, II we could
have held 1t as he had planned to
do. would have yielded 80 per
cent for Austrian freedom. Other
wise ! would have srraigned the
leaders for attempted fraud.
Hitler knew this too. That is
why he was in such a hurry to IN
wade US
Again was helpless, could do
nothing but live in utter dispair.
Again. as the month OF May ran
out ! took out Hitler's memoran-
dums to me. | contemplated his
signature under the pledge: ITO
recognize Austria's integrity and
indept ndence. Not to interfere
with Austrian internal affairs. D..
to acknowledge the Austrian con-
stitution.
These pledges-these lies-were
given twice. Hitler had personally
underwritten them on July II,
1886 and February u. 1888.
They had been fashioned at Der.
chtesgarden.