“GENIAL GENTLEMAN”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1939, Page 8

“GENIAL GENTLEMAN”

AMERICAN DANCER’S OPINION OF HITLER. DEEP INTEREST IN ART. Mariam Verne, the 19-year-old AmeI rican dancer and friend of Hitler, I spoke to an Associated Press correspondent from Munich recently about Hitler's “gracefulness,” his interest in art, and his "friendliness." She said she was conquering Gefniaii graihmar. Hitler himself toid her she is mastering its mysteries. “The Fuhrer had hot seen for for several weeks,” she said, “but when we met after a performance of 'The Merry Widow’ hole thb first thing he did was to congratulate mb oh my progress in German. He made the compliment Very gracefully,” she added. "That’s che of the outstanding impressions I have of Herr Hitler —his gratefulness,” she said. “Every time life has joined our little parties I have been impressed by his easy and friendly but polished manner. "And he is also capable of joking a bit. For instance, he intrbdil.-ed me to a friend as the iho.st accomplished acrobatic dancer ho had .over seen, and, of course, that must have been just a bit of pleasant blarney. "Herr Hitler is a genial gentleman with a deep interest in artistic matters. His eyes go drbahiy ahd you know he isii’t seeing anything in the room when he tnlks about architecture ahd all the buildings he’s erecting. Ih sUch moments ho is seeing hew towers of stone and sweeping walls, I guess. He’s very intense in his interests." Miss Verne has always seen Hitler in moments when he had shaken off cares of office. She was never about when ho was thinking about Poland or writing an answer to Roosevelt. "That’.', why I don’t get this impression of fierce sternness which the world seems to associate with the Fuhrer. My impression is one of friendliness. Nor do all the pictures in the newspapers present, the Hitler I know. He smiles often, listens to my bad German attentively. and is always making jokes. Yes. we always talk German. I have never heard him venture one word of English." Publicity resulting from the friendship with Hitler apparently had frightened ihe Pittsburg girl a little, and she was not sure whether in America it will be harmful or helpful.