1961-02-09 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL,

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1961.

"MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW YOU'RE UNTOUCHABLES."

Newsletter

Dun 2er: Sertice.

by Sam Whitke

Oh, my, what they're

doing to Monte Carlo!

Paris.

THIS is the story

The land in which this pro- after burg fallow for jected skyscraper was to be bullt building operation, ore about to of

was bought by a Central Euro- start on erecting a 33-storey block the hole that has an Buatele.. Having bought of fuis on the hole that was dug

And he needed the

further 20ft, deep a year ago. been blasted and lorn canal to dinner the projected out of the heart of Monte Carlo.

The tuliding beer in Monte Ititute a major and i Carlo has largely been a result

of French colonial disasters,

od luck cat not have Tuppened any here else in th would.

J n

of

д

ехеси-

The price in Collector

REPORT the rise of a

new art buyer — or

AN ACT OF ARSON MADE HITLER A DICTATOR: NOW, AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS BEING ASKED.......

Who really started the Reichstag fire?

AT

T 9.13 on the night of February 27, 1933, the

Berlin telephone rang in a fire-station. "There is a fire in the Reichstag," reported the caller. It soom- ed a small alarm. One engine was ordered out. Five minutes later another ring. Then three more. This was no little fire. It was a big blaze. By 9.45 pm 60 fire-engines were at the Reichstag.

A la valo. They came too late. The great central hail was burned out. The Reichstag building stands to this day an empty shell.

Such things happen in the best regulated States. The Houses of Parliament were burned to the ground in 1834, all because

stove-pipe of a which became red hot.

But Germany was not 3 Quiel country in February 1033. On January 30 Hitler had become Chancellor.

*

After 28 years the shell of the burned-out Reichstag still stands as memorial to a madman. It was the fire-on the night of February 27, 1933--which gave Hitler supreme power.

But who started the fire? Was it the, Communists, as Hitler claimed? Or the Nazis themselves? Or the young Dutchman, Van der Lubbe, who was in fact executed for it?

Over the years the world has argued. Now, in Dusseldorf, a new in- quiry has opened. Perhaps at last tho world will learn the truth. .'..

by A. J. P. TAYLOR

Van der Lubbe's story pro- ducted by Left-wing lawyers Nazis who came His Naxi Party did not have veed plenty of evidence against from many democratic countries through the tunnel.

himself. None could be pro- -Britain. France, America, and

a majority in Parliament,

The Reichstag was dissolved. duced against the four ollen, elsewhere.

None of them had ever seen There was A furious general

and went

Nearly everyone outskie Ger many assepted this verdict. This is how the story appears in every

German

The evidence of the police election. Nazis and Communits Van der Lubbe, let alone spots of no use. For it showed work of history to ikls day. fought in the street. Hitler to him.

that Van der Lubbe hud started Issued constant warnings: "The

The prosecution called in the Bres alone.

Last year, a retired So the enti Commista will try to prize "experts. universtiy professora Nazis made out (quite incor civil servant called Fritz Tobias power. We must prepare for a who had never teča near rectly) that the police evidence had another look at the record. Communtat plot."

Helchtstag and had never been compromised the Narks and had To his astonishment he found

been suppressed. ·

that the accepted story had very little to back it.

The

sta Are.

SUPPRESSED

A MAJORITY

They all "proved" on thcare- ties ground: that the tre could

The police records had not not have been started by a

been suppressed. They survive➡ Now Hitler's prophecy seemed single man, Von der Lubbe

in eight coples. As to the tunnel, fuißlled. He arrived at the must have had accomplices.

The evidence of the "experts" the palice uspected it within an Reichstag while it was su Therefore, the Commualats did on the other hand, was a god- hour of the fire. The doors were burning. He tremblet. His eyes

send. It had been used by locked at both ends. There was blazed. He serelmet out:

tree that anyone

had "Every Communist leader will One of the accused was the the Nazis to implicate the Cem- o

Tone through them. be hanged.

Communist famous International Com- munisis. Now it was stond en recently deputies must be shot this very munist Dimitrov. He turned its head to implicate the Nazis. Besides, 11 was not easy to to through. It was crammed with the night. There must be no mercy."

sicry

or upside down,

The "experts" had raid that pipes and cables, course, he argued, Van der

The "confessions" contra- Things did not go quite to Lubbe ed accomplices, as the Van der Lubbe could not have

The German dicted each other. such extremes.

We know Though

alone. the "experts" said. But they were done it Communist Party was declared Nazis, not Communists.

court had falled to find evidence more now than men did in 1933

the against

Communista, how Communists manufacture Obviously, therefore, argued the evidence. These conferelons have anti-Nazis. Van der Lubbe's every sign of Communist author- assistants were Nazis.

ship.

illegal, 00

Communist deputies were returned to

the new

Reichstag

#

TIMID ...

the

Sent

anonymot:s.

THEORIES

do not come The "experts" of off much better. They were lay-

the

they But it

or said: "You must consult me. I fested what they had done. course they had to remain an the out one who knowra But the evidence everything about the Reichstag.

After all, I burned it."

Surely Goering was joking. On Jew and grew.

rerious Gecaxions he always denied that he knew anything of the re beforehand. And, In his perverted way, Goering was

They were not allowed to take their scale. This gave the Nazis The Judges were men of prin- The wild-Nazis wanted more and their Nationalist allies a ciple, though timid. They would than inference. They wanted majority. The Centre also nel condemn innocent men, But proof. They scon found it.

they a year. even keener than the competi- acquiesced! In this way Hitter they wanted to please the Nazis. First,

discovered A tunnel fed from the tion in exotic clothes,

was able to pass the Enabling

They reached

verdict, method,

to the Law, which made him the legal therefore, that Van der Lubbe Reichstog,

house dictator of Germany. INCIDENTAL INTELLI-

bad started the fires "ith the the Reichstag President across ing down theories, not drawing

of

And Goering was from experience. They invented revolutionary the street. The burning of the Reichs- assistance GENCE Many members

President of the Reichstas. these theories to please the Two French frenelal groups,

tog wag the decisive event elements"-clearly

In the outcome. one in Algeria and another of the French aristocracy leh

known Communists. Van der The anti-Nazis claimed that Nazi. gave

Hitler Pig Lubbe was condemned to death Hitte's the angrily Up

men had come through helped the antl-Nazis, boycotted France, have now put

power. So, how did it

thi tunnel to start the area. remained theory, money to start building fashionable wedding be Did the fire start by accident and duly executed. ultimate desperation of one of

And through the tunnel they had There is one tiny bit of solid No, this fire was deliberate.

The four Communists were

Escaped. the most beautiful stretches of cause it occurred on the

This was the answer, evidence. In 1912 a group of anniversary of the

Who started it?

Torgler was kept The ques acquitted.

More sali proof fallowed, leading Nazis were discussing Its first murtes came trim the coastline in the world.

tion has been debated from that under house arrest until 1936. Storm troopers Hitler's brown the rebuilding of the Reichstart. since Frenc: defeat in Indo-Ching and Pals in this new building will tion of Louis XVI.

day to this. in Dusseldorf. West Thereafter, he lived quietly in shirts grew ashamed and co- Goering slapped his thigh and corner of the square Bran this was followed by the grant of con from about £36,000 or a

Germany,

new couri of Germany, as he still does. Marchais,

and Sittingroom, bedroom and kit-

The ihre Bulgarians the most independence to Tunisia

were Inquiry has opened. New evid- elegant in the principality. Aluriczo With th inevitable chenette upwards.

ence, we are told, will be re sent to Soviet Russia. Two of *11

The disappeared capital

rich well worth while, however for

from sight. arms for up to lay the founda- light

venter. wealthy ticant for et another mammoth eulanithats back to France,

Immigrants from

the

The police bad their answer to Dhaitrey became bend of the shpscraper.

unlike boom The

was perceptibly Alperin because,

the fire from the first. At one Comintern und, after the war, French in Metropolitan France, rlewing down after years

He aind minute past nine a passer-by dietator of Bulgaria. saw a man break a window and mysteriously in 1948. climb

Hitler had to be ement with into the Reichslag

the court's verdict. After all, building. an

On June 30 Hitler turned an honest man, the court had said that the fire against the brown shirts The nearest police station was

and Now this new inquiry tps alarmed at 9.8. Pellet arrived was the work of Communis killed many of their lenders. opened in Dusseldorf. At last, it at the Reichstag before the are though It brigade. They searched the hem or to show how they had one of them, Karl Ernst, left, is said, evidence will be produced

conveniently,

very which will pin the gullt on the trut ding. At 0.27 they arrested dons it. In any case, the Nazis mest

Hetailed confession, which eare Nazis. n man, half-naked and blackin wore safely in power. No one fally improved on the mistakes

So far, it locks as though Van in Germany inquired any longer cd by smoke.

how they got there.

In the earlier confessions.

der Lubbo did it all alone, But Her had enemics eut- The Left-wing lawyers of the though every serious scholar has side Germany, political refugees counter-trial did not need much believed the opposite for nearly who were stirring world opinion convincing. They know Hitler 30 years. against hint. They had already was

wicked mon The The story hay no longer any "Browa He was taken to headquar- brought out

Book evidence merely confirmed this. historical Importance. Hiler dictator, ters, interrogated until four in telling the truth about the Nazl They listened casually. At was Da unscrupulous

one critical moment, the morning, and again the next terror.

French who did much harm to Germany Are was He answered clearly and The Reichstag day.

a lawyer passed

ho a note to his and to the world, avhether colierently. He was Young splendid subject

read: for a second colleague. It

"There is organised the Reichslag fire OF Dutchman, His name: Marinus "Brown Book," which would not a decent-looking woman in merely took advantage of it. Van der Lubbe,

pin the guilt on the Nazis. The the TOOM.

But I still makes a good

Disasters

speculative vandalizmi (which who have to continue to pay rather the rise phoenix-liko have wanstormed the Princi- taxes for nye years after eslab from the ashos of the pality to a kind of tax-dodgers fishing residence in Monaco the In the nicest a small archi- rabbit warren), when it became French in North Africa live tax Egyption revolution of

its tuin free from the moment they old art buyer. tturam, the Villa Beau clear that Algeria in

an would be given independener.

This has now set 17 the boum once again and the result is that,

M: this,

whit h formed regral part of the square, was destroyed.

• What a aliana!—Just think of all the work-anda ·

he spent buliding that conservatory!'

settle in the Principality.

He is fami Hussein Bey. Permits to build these farmer husband of King nionstrosilic are granted by Farouk's cunt and now the Prince Rainier and Prince recent huband o? the entr- Rainier alene, le is now more mously rich (all) American absolute in his rule than aver ex-widow Mrs Jefferson King

that

ho

before,

Macomber. The only consolation is

Ilussein's fortune, which such Is the maniacal greed flerted from Farouk's aunt, which activates these operailors included a world famIZUS arl that, what with mammoth build collecties which was confiscated

and frontle by Nasser. ing above ground tunnelling underground in pro-

Now Hussein, who lives in his vide tunnel for trains and new wife's villa at St Jean Cap thereby creat fresh real estate, Ferrat in the South of France, the whole Principality may soon has started collecting again. sink gently lato the sea under He needs no advice in matters the weight of its own short of painting, but if he does he luas sighted greed.

Arst-class adviser in a neigh- bour and friend. Somerset Maugham.

Exotic THERE

was a time when Cautiously

a mannequin was a

clothes-horse and oven

if

Jlls

re-entry into

the art

she had a face like a horse market comes at a bad time, when prices are at their highest, it didn't much - matter or That is why he is so for pro-

was even considered an ad- eceding cautiously for fear that vantage because it did not his reputation of having the provide a distraction from Macomber millions behind him.

my pitsh them still higher. Se the clothes.

Ier he has bought two Vlamincka The main requirements were for a modest total of semething that she should walk gracefully,

Ike £20,000.

He is also be reasonably tall and have slim

negotiating for hips. Now all this is changed, some Rouaults: His Paris dealer and this year's fashion shows is a noted Greek who has made show clearly that the one essen- a fortune trem specialising in tial to a career as a mannequin Utrillos,

in

IT FITTED

1ad falled to find

THE VERDICT

1

He calmed to be a Socialist, unti-Nazis, therefore, steged a They brought in their verdiel: detective story. not a Communist. When Hitler ecunter-trial In London, con- The Arts had been started by

gained power, he had hoped that

the

German workers would revolt. When nothing happened, he decided to light a orch" of revolt himself.

He came to Berlin, bought a packet of firelighters, and broke into the Reichstag, Ho started the first fres with the firelighters, then tore off his upper garments and set them aight to start others. He had no assistants, ነው encourage ment from outside.

Such was history. The police checked it with a stop- watch. The story Atted up to the exact minute of Van der

Lubbe's arrest. The fire-officers also thought that the fires could have been started as Van der Lubbe claimed.

BLOWN UP

U

is not to have been a mannequiu Vlaminck, a lurn-of-the- before.

century painter, painted like Cezanne, and his most valuable This year's recruits to the paintings landscapto

ore mannequin business include abright natural colours, darit-eyed gipsy n Tahlilan, a Hussein who used to be a Brazilian heiress, a Russian anid noted Monte Carlo figure, is new to be the great grand-niece of wardly seen in the Principality. Rasputin, two Swedish twins,, I telephoned him to ask him for minute Japanese, Stuart who details of his purchases,

daima relationship with Mary He told me that he would not Queen of Scots, the daughter of see me because when I Inter-munista had, allegedly,

French general, the daughter viewed him after his wedding up the cathedral: In Sophia.

The Nazi rulers of Germany did not wait, to hear Van der Lubbe's story. On the morning after the Are, they arrested Torgler, Cannumist jeader in the Relchatay. They дзо arrested thres Bulgarian Can-| munists ilving In Germany.

Years before, Bulgarian Coin- blown

al Anculth, the playwright, fed net, in his own words, Obviously, therefore, urgued the Sylvia Casablanca, ex-friend of written what I told you to Nazis, they were involved in ile Karim Aga Khan, and, Anally, write."

fire

in girl who, it is claimed, was What he told me to write was The alarm of the Communist tending sheep in the tickwoods to up his age by 10 years and płot enabled the Nazis to win of Algeria only a few weeks very chivalrously lower his | iho XEHETAL Election. But bride's go by the same mambor

ugo.

It looks as though the competi- of years, In fact o 1'00 and tion for oxatio models in the the former Mes"Mscomber O Poris fashion büşineva is now...] **=*=*={Londen ExprOTE SIENNEJ"

Germany was in theory sit a law-abiding Slate; the five accused men stood triol before the High Cours at Leliana.

Father

Figure

Demoira

-Londos Express Serpico).

YOUR TURN NOW, HAROLD

Merid Capunicht by gzrangement with the Manchester