"LONG LIVE THE RETCH!"

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5319, 4 February 1947, Page 3

"LONG LIVE THE RETCH!"

The following letter, which is quite self exnlanatory, was found in the pocket of a captured German soldier some time after D-Day. It is quoted in a hook by Martin Lindsay entitled "£o Few Got Through": — State ofliee for Increase in Bithrate. Berlin. Dear Sir, — As many men have died during the war, it is the responsibility, of the living to care for the women and girls in order to haVe a steady, rising birthrate. "You are thought to be At and we lcindly aslc you to accept this honourable German duty. Because oi" this, your wife will have a rig'ht to .iivorce you, but you must take it as a necessary consequence of war. "You are detailed to the 12tli District (of Berlin). Should you feel rnfit for this task, you have to send the. name of a good substitute (eines tuechtigen Ersatzmannes) together with a certificate of incapacity signed by three doetors. "Should you be able to take over another distriet as well, you beeome a breeding officer and also receive a a breeding romuneration; you receive, too, Ihe bh'th medal, 1st class. with red ribbon. You are also exempted from all taxes and have the" vight to a ■ pension. | "We will soon send you a list of j the persons to be visited by you. You should start your fruitful work at onca and report the results to this ofliee. "With German greeting*, "Personnel Branch of the War Ministry. I.A." Mr. Lindsay states in a footnote that should hte reader consider the anove a leg-pull in rather bad taste, he copied the letter from the original into his diary, which he still posstsses.