GERMAN COMMAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 March 1943, Page 3

GERMAN COMMAND

TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO GENERALS? SIGNIFICANT REFERENCES TO HITLER. . CAUSING CONJECTURE IN LONDON. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, March 21. ■ Has Hitler handed over command of the German Army to his generals? This question is revived by the announcer of Berlin radio twice describing General von Keitel as “comman-der-in-chief of the army.” The first reference was during the broadcasting of the Heroes’ Day ceremony of wreath-laying at the Zeughaus War Museum in Berlin. The announcer said: “Herr Hitler has entered the hall, followed by Field-Marshal Goering and the commanders of the three services, General , von Keitel, Admiral Doenitz and Marshal Milch.” ) The second reference was made in the course of a description of Hitler’s review of the guard of honour when von Keitel, Doenitz and Milch were again similarly described in Berlin radio's account of the ceremonies which said: “Herr Hitler, departing from the Zeughaus, entered a car. Hundreds of thousands of Berliners lining the Unter den Linden, greeted him with silent, reverent confidence. The Fuehrer’s words in the Zeughaus were heard in devout silence.” However ,the German news agency foreign service later stated that the Fuehrer spoke not as leader of the German people but as supreme commander of the armed forces. It is pointed out in London that the title supreme commander is automatically held by the chief of the German State. It .was so held by the Kaiser and Field Marshal von Hindenburg, but the point is also raised whether the reference to Milch as head of the • air force indicated that Goering has relinquished the post of commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe. Commenting on the absence of “Sieg heils,” the diplomatic correspondent of “The Times” says that Hitler clearly read his speech. His manner betrayed restraint. He later walked to hundreds of severely wounded from Russia. He spoke to half a dozen, answering a man's statement as to where he was | wounded with an invariable “ah.” The , exchanges heard over the radio lacked personal feeling. ,