UNITY & BLOOD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1940, Page 8

UNITY & BLOOD

HITLER’S SPEECH ON HEROES’ DAY

ASTONISHING ASSERTIONS.

ATTACK ON "PLUTOCRATIC "DEMOCRACIES."

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received This Day. 9.20 a.m.) BERLIN, March If).

In a speech commemorating Horoo;;’ Day, Herr Hitler referred to the |>eseul grave lime;:. He said that alter the victorious Polish campaign, for which there was no parallel in history, Germany's soldiers, sailors and airmen were now ready to protect the' Reich against, its old enemies in the West. Behind them stood a united country. "For the first time in history," he said, "the entire nation is making its appearance before the eyes of Almighty God, entreating Him to bless its struggle for existence."

Herr Hitler described soldiers as always the elite of nations. He said. "Ihe world distinguishes between disgraceful egoists and idealists, despising one as a coward and praising the- other as a hero. There is no people in the world mere entitled to celebrate its heroes than the Germans."

The Fuehrer entered the armoury of the Museum accompanied by Marshal Goering. General Brauchitsch and Grand Admiral Raeder. An orchestra played the first movement in Beethoven's Eroica symphony.. An announcer, broadcasting throughout the country, said the commemoration was dedicated nut only to the dead of the World War. but to those of the present war in Poland, til the Wesern Wall, in the air and on the sea.

Herr Hitler spoke only fifteen minutes. He said: “Germany's historic life, over two thousand years, was due to men who wore ready io sacrifice life ior the whole community. Statesmen <.f the past also were loved by the gods only because they attempted to achieve the impassible. In a tribute to the dead. Herr Hitler said: “They fought tor the same ideals for which we are fighting now. The future of the community stood high above the life of an individual. Plutocratic democracies have declared the wildest fight against Nazi. Germany and made her destruction their war aim. This only confirms the value ct our ideal of community, lor it has made the German people dangerous in the eyes of the enemy by making them invincible. The unity of Germany is founded on blood. It rises over ami above class, caste or occupation. The world wants our destruction and our answer is a new pledge to defend the greatest community of all time."

The Fuehrer recalled, the reintroduclicn of conscription five years ago and how Nazism awakened the people out c.i' despair. He said he had been prepared for fifteen years to give his hand to the world for a fair agreement, but the world had refused the basis of equal rights for all. Herr Hitler continued: “As a National Socialist soldier, I have all my life maintained, the aim either to secure the rights of my nation by peaceful means, or, if necessary, by force. As the leader of my nation and Commander-in-Chief of the German Army. I live now for one task —to concentrate day and night on victory, to fight, and work for victory. and if necessary, not spare my own life, realising that this time Germany's future will be shaped for many centuries. As a lonely soldier of the last war, I make only one prayer to Providence —that we may finish the last chapter of the great national struggle with honour to the German nation. Then the spirits of our dead comrades will rise from the grave and thank all who are making good what one weak hour spoiled. We therefore solemnly swear that this war. which was forced upon Greater Germany by the capitalist rulers of France and England, will be conve-rtod into the most glorious victory in German history.'' Heri- Hitler spoke in a subdued \oice. without declamation. He arrived from the Chancellery and departed thither in a car. not having left the precincts of the Armoury. “SUB-HUMAN FORCES.’’ NOW'COURTED BY HITLER. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. March 9. The “Manchester Guardian" recalls that on April 28. 1939, Hitler, speaking in the Reichstag in reference to the German part in General Franco's victory in Spain, said: “If the sub-human forces of Bolshevism had proved victorious in Spain they might easily have spread across the whole of Europe." The “Guardian" adds without comment: “Last week- it was announced that a section for Soviet studies had been opened in the Berlin University under the direction of a Caucasian will) a library of 120,(100 nooks, and arrangement.-', have been made for the exchange of student:; and teaching staffs between Berlin and Moscow."