1939-01-09 — Page 2

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"CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 9, 1989.

This Fire Was Hitler's "Sign From Heaven"

"In a conversation with the Lea- munists and Socialists. Policemen

der we settled the main lines of who fired would be protected, and

the fight against the Red Terror. those who failed to fire would be The Story For the time being we shall avoid punished.

direct counter measures.

The

Bolshevist attempt at revolution Two days later Brownshirt squads must first of all flame up. At the were enrolled as "auxiliary police." right moment we shall then hit. On February 23 they ransacked the

E out,"

Behind

"MEIN

Communist H.Q., claiming that KAMPE"

they had unearthed plans for Dr. Goebbels' Diary, "My Part in "crimes unutterable" (Goebbels). Germany's Fight," January 31, 1933.

At midnight on February 27 the It was the second day of Hitler's cry went up in Berlin "The Reich- Government that Dr. Goebbels wrote stag is in flames."

late.

these words. Hitler was im office Hans Floeter was cold (the snow (as Chancellor), but not yet in lay thinly on the ground), he was ill,

Only two other Nazis, he was hungry, and he was power. Goring and Frick, were in his He was hurrying home to his sup- Cabinet. President Hindenburg per, the poor student. It was quar was confident that the other coali- ter to nine, on the night of tion leaders, the Junker, Von Pa- February 27. pen, and the Big Business

Nazi Hugenberg, would keep the Leader tied up hand and foot. Hitler promptly performed trick.

the

Boss,

Houdini

Only One Arm, But The Arm Of The Law

police

*

*

*

a

The Reichstag blazing chance for one of the cleverest pieces of strategy in political history.

tousled, crouching creature. He overflowed. The public were promis- made no effort to escape or resist ed proof positive of a Red Plot to as- Hans walked along Unter

den arrest.

They took him to the sassinate Hitler and Hindenburg, Linden, through the Brandenburg police station. Gate and past the Reichstag. By

the great Bismarck statue he heard Goering Thought Of A a sudden smashing of glass. He looked at the darkened pile of the Hanging On The Spot

supper.

With a dull thump like a pit ex-

burn down museums, mansions, and essential plant, and raise a Red Guard in the Rhineland. A general election would enable Germany to give its verdict on these abomina- tions.

returned 82 M.P.8,

Reichstag and there he saw, on the He showed his political Italent

first floor balcony. à figure waving once again by his choice of the

Backed by the State power, the some sort of torch. He ran to the plosion the gas in the Reichstag police, radio and the two Nazi posts. Frick was nam .

Hugenberg corner and shouted for a policeman. blew up and the great glass dome Press, the Nazis proceeded to the ed as Home Secretary. Goring

The policeman hurried over to the collapsed. By now the fire, fed by poll. The Socialist and Com- without portfolio in the National Cabinet was free to give full time to Reichstag. Hans' went home to his inflammable liquid which had been munist newspapers were prohibited drenched over the furniture, lit up and their meetings banned. The his provincial job of Homé Secretary

the Berlin sky like day. for Prussia. Thus for Berlin, key. A minute or two later Sergeant

most gigantic Nazi demonstrations Hitler filled the streets. town of Prussia and all Germany in Buwert rushed on the scene.

Goering was there when

The result gave An-

arrived. He had thought of han- the Nazis 43 per cent. these

With their decisive days, the entire other passer-by had told him. of

Government power was vested in the flames coming out of the window of ging his prisoner on the spot, but Nationalist allies the hands of the Nazis. It did not the Reichstag restaurant. As he decided to hold him as a possible. Coalition obtained 51 per cent. The

after- Communists witness against others, an matter that Von Papen was Prime arrived he saw a flickering light Minister of Prussia, or that Hugen- moving from window to

window thought which he must have re- losing 18; the Socialists lost 1; the

gained berg was "Economic Dictator." Na- on the ground floor.

Catholic Centre Party Sergeant gretted subsequently.

"It is a Communist

The poleon was scared of only one man, Buwert drew his gun and fired. The

outrage," handful.

Government. ma- his head policeman Fouche.

light went out.

shouted Goering furiously.

jority was made quite secure Fervently Hitler intoned: "It is outlawing the 82 Communists. Goring worked fast. The most But the flames leapt up. The

a sign from Heaven. It shows us the titanic Red Terror that was thus resolute of the old storm troop street curtains were on fire. Fire alarms what would have come if these wret- nipped in the bud nothing more has fighters appeared in police uniform. clanged, the usual crowd sprang up ches had got in power". Twenty-two out of 32 chief con- almost out of the ground. The midnight police and auxiliary police stables were replaced in a few days. police forced their way in. There

were rounding up "every Com- Van Der Lubbe On February 20 the police were were thirty-odd fires raging in the munist, spy and vagabond in Berlin" cautioned not to be hostile to the building. Iu an ante-room beyond (Goering) An official statement de- Brownshirts, and ordered to be the Chamber, which was already a clared that the Communists had exceedingly hostile towards Com- furnace, they found a half naked. fired the Reichstag as a signal for

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Before been heard.

Giggled And Babbled

a

by Of

But the incendiary? The fire- devil of the Reichstag? He was Van armed insurrection all over Ger-

der Lubbe, a Dutch tramp aged 24. many. Not a barricade, however,

It was given out officially that he was set up in any town.

Next day President Hindenburg was a member of the Dutch Com- signed a decree suspending civil li- munist Party, and that his party berties and directed specially again- card was found on him, st the Communist Party. The goals untrue.

Van der Lubbe, the Dutch boy, hanging his head at the trial which led to its loss.

It was

Asked if he set the Reichstag on fire he said Yes, giggled, muttered and babbled like a lunatic. Indeed, he was a half-wit. He was held in gaol for seven months loaded with chains while the case against him was prepared. Charged with him were Torgler, a Communist M.P., and Dmitrov,. Tanev and Popov, three Bulgarian Communist agents.

Did Van der Lubbe set fire to the Reichstag? Yes. He admitted it. The Leipzig court condemned him. Did Torgler Dmitrov, Tanev and Popov? No. The court acquitted them. Both verdicts will stand in history.

But WHY did Van der Lubbe set fire to the Reichstag? Hitler gave one answer. He staged at great State-trial to prove it. Dmitrov gave another answer.

He said the Nazis put on the fire!"

*And very soon by the talent, courage and resource of this unknown Bulgarian the Leipzig Penal Court had become in fact a world tribunal wherein this issue, was debated. "You

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