ALLIES HELPED HITLER TO FAME

Chronicle (Levin), 4 May 1946, Page 8

ALLIES HELPED HITLER TO FAME

HOW THE GERMANS LOOK AT OUR ACTIONS NUBEMBEBG, May 2. At the klunich confei'ence Britain and Erance handed to Hitler on a silver platter more concessions than he haci ever hoped to get, said Hjalhiai Schach t, the fornier German iinanciai dictator, continuing his evidence before the War Crinies Tribunab They also dealt a IiIoav to anti-Nazism inside Germany, he said, Hitler tried only to get autonomy foithe Germans in Czeehoslovakia, but Britain and France handed over the Hndeten territories, which Hitler never expected to get, said Schacht. This success strengtliened Hitler Js popularitv ] and weakened the chances of removing 1 hhn. » J Schaclit said he had no prior lcnowi ledge o'f Hitler 's plans to invade j Czecliosloavkia, Norway, Denmark, Pol- ; and, and Bussia. He had repeatediv refused to cooperate in any of these conqnests. Hchacht elaimed that after his dismissal from the presidency of the Beichsbank in 1939, he made an effort to prevent war, and that wlien he was dismissed from tlie post of Minister without iiorlfolio in 1943 his only political activitv was direeted to effortsto remove Hitler. In consequetice of his plotting with the anti-Hitler German generals and of his frequent contacts with "prominent Englishmen, Americans, Frenehmen, and neutrals, ' ' the Gestapo was put on his trail and his iife was in constant danger. Schaclit declared that the visits of many foreign leaders, including erowned lieads, gave Hitler such prestige that it was almost impossible for the resistance members to carry on the task of enlightening the German peojile, who j interpreted -such visits as honourable re j eognition of Hitler which went beyond I ordinarv diplomatic courtesies. | Baising his voice, Schaeht declaren I that foreign nations must sliare tlie re- ! sponsibility with the Germans for the i rise of Hitler. They failed lirst of a'l ! to aid deino'cratic Germany, and later gave recogni'tion and honours to the, Nazi regimfe. i Telling how Hitler gave him a forged painting, as a present on his sixtieth birthday, Schaclit said that the picture was supposed to be worth 20,000 marks, but as soon as it was brought into his room he reeognised if as a f'orgery, "I traced tHe ' 'ofiginal and returned the f'orgery to Hitler, who never, replaeed it," he said. . : . Tn reply to Mr. .Tustiee Jackson, who opened tlie' cross-exatniiiation, Schaclit said tliat hs far as he knew, Hitler 's contidence nien Avere Bormann, Himmler. Heydrich, Goering, and Bibbentrop. Mr. .Tacks'on • said : Hitler, Himmlef, and Heydrii'h are dead. ■ Schaclit' replied: T regret thev are dead. I Would have liked to see them die some other way.