In Aeroplane over Berlin – Snow
If aeroplane should crash whole history of Germany would change.
Hitler a few feet away; Goebbels behind him.
Lunch at Delmer’s with [Ernst] Hanfstaengl
[FYI - Sefton Delmer was the London Daily Express Germany Correspondent who travelled with Gareth on this same flight – he was also, personally with Hitler four days later as Hitler walked around the ruins of burnt-out Reichstag
Ernst Hanfstaengl organised Hitler’s Foreign Relations with the press and had invited Gareth to fly with Hitler in the summer of 1932, during the German General election, but on that occasion Gareth was not able to travel.]
Then train through Berlin to Templehofen
“We are following the Chancellor”.
“Then go to the right. Taxi took us.
Saw huge Aeroplane.
Meeting Goebels at Templehof
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…with three motors. Monoplane.
“Richthofen”, the fastest & best aeroplane in Germany. Can fly 240 kilometers per hour.
The leader has not yet come.
H [Hanfstaengl?]: Let me introduce[? to Goebbels] you.
[Describing Goebbels] Standing near was little man with remarkably lively eyes; very dark with great sense of [Next page] humour; narrow head; like South Wales collier; very intelligent – brown eyes.
(One of bodyguard is eating a boiled egg.)
(Goebbels is eating a cheese sandwich.)
Most sympathetic friendly; always smiling.
“Dr. Goebbels.”
Pretty wife, blonde [probably referring to Magda Goebbels?]
(Bodyguard offers me a boiled egg.)
Goebbels laughs all the time; he is…
…with three motors. Monoplane.
“Richthofen”, the fastest & best aeroplane in Germany. Can fly 240 kilometers per hour.
The leader has not yet come.
H [Hanfstaengl?]: Let me introduce[? to Goebbels] you.
[Describing Goebbels] Standing near was little man with remarkably lively eyes; very dark with great sense of [Next page] humour; narrow head; like South Wales collier; very intelligent – brown eyes.
(One of bodyguard is eating a boiled egg.)
(Goebbels is eating a cheese sandwich.)
Most sympathetic friendly; always smiling.
“Dr. Goebbels.”
Pretty wife, blonde [probably referring to Magda Goebbels?]
(Bodyguard offers me a boiled egg.)
Goebbels laughs all the time; he is…
..to be one of the great figures in Germany. Looks a ‘brain’; smart.
Then met the bodyguard; smiling, friendly men with humour, but strong.
They have a block uniform with a black cap with a silver skull and cross-bones.
Now we are flying through mist and can see [new page] only the clouds.
“The Chancellor has left the Kaiserhof & will be he
...a very ordinary looking man. It [New page] is a mystery to me how he has appeal. Looks like middle-class grocer
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Tremendous sense of humour, pale [?], dark hair.
Reading the ‘Angriff’ [Goebbels’ own Nazi newspaper founded 1927 meaning ‘the attack’] and looking at the headline; “50,000 hear Dr. Goebbels in Hanover”.
Then a cry; “The Leader is coming.” A car drives through the snow. Out steps a very ordinary looking man. It [New page] is a mystery to me how he has appeal. Looks like middle-class grocer; has an ordinary greyish brown mackintosh, just as everybody has. His hair is fairly dark & brushed.
(The chief of the bodyguard is drinking soda water & turns laughingly to me & drinks to my health.)
Hitler is reading a blue memorandum
Hitler inside is driving through the snow; hooting. Hitler comes out – just like a boy.
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Hitler surprised me by his smile, quite intelligent, natural & humour. Not a poseur, natural, came out of car; no tragic [graphic?] gestures; just an ordinary man.
He saw Goebbels new car; most interested. Gets inside, wants to learn all about it. The new brown car with [New page] Hitler inside is driving through the snow; hooting. Hitler comes out – just like a boy.
Am introduced.
Tiny [dolly?] brown moustache
“Einsteinian"
Delmer of the “Express” takes moving photographs.
Hitler not closely protected. Bodyguard just chats around; one gives his photo as boxer to Delmer.
Hitler…
Seating plan of Richtshofen
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sits a few feet to the right.
Room for 16
* Hanfstaengl * Goebbel’s Sec (grey with beard).
* * Hitler
* * Goebbels
* Delmer * Head of Bodyguard
* GJ [Gareth] * Bodyguard
* Bodyguard * Bodyguard
* Bodyguard
S.S. black armlet – red with black swastika on white.
[New Page]
Head of bodyguard is a lively fellow; joking all the time. Scar.
Hitler studied map.
Then reads ‘Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung”.
Beneath is now a sea of clouds, but above absolutely clear blue sky.
1500 meters high.
There is one small Hitler flag.
Goebbels wants a haircut.
([GJ] Am wearing Sh??’s tie).
Hitler very ordinary face.
Clouds are beautiful, remarkable for making fleecy waves.
Difficult to write; consequently [due] to aeroplane; disjointed.
Hitler reads the joke pages and laughs. Yes, splendid [new page] humour. Shows it to Goebbels; Goebbels laughs.
Nothing cold here; more Southern Bavarian.
Huge aeroplane. Wings very long.
Delmer & I are first [journalists] to accompany Hitler since he was Chancellor.
Left of Hitler is Capt. Brückner, his adjutant; [not shown in Gareth’s seating plan – possibly omitted by mistake?] a big…
Fair fellow.
Hitler reads UHU [Ullstein magazine – German satirical magazine of the 1920/30s] after adoring the photo of two girls on the front page of Berliner Illust. Zeitung.
D-2202 Black grey on [the Junker plane’s number – the prefix D-220X refers to Hitler’s Squadron] wingspan.
Now clearing up underneath.
We can see the Elbe curving.
1,700 meters high [new page]
White underneath.
Hitler opposed to bad literature.
Elbe? [Tick to confirm correct river beneath them.]
Tomorrow night Goebbels & Prince August Wilhelm are speaking in the Sports Palace.
Goebbels [??] assistant brings Wilson; Peace Offer to Goebbels.
Goebbels said yesterday; “On Jan 30 a fundamental change took place & German…
Political life. The men of the Nat. Socialist Movement [?] declared on that day that the policy carried on since Nov 1919 is over. We shall begin anew in Germany and its his ambition ?? to clear away root and branch within 4 years [of] all remains of Internationalist Marxist Policy in Germany.”
Brückner is a huge fellow, massive, [new page] fair hair.
Hitler was in prison.
Unemployment figures ?? 6,047,000 (80,000 less than last year.)
- - - -
Delmer: “Germany has always been military. They’ll act far quicker in Eastern parts than you think. They have
…the arms.
Now clouds again.
Newspaper
“Prussia is being cleaned.”
Hitler has head on his hand, looks as if sleeping.
Absolute calm. No movement.
Easy to write.
[New Page]
Retibutiionè
20/21
Now 2,200 meters high (6750 feet)
Newspaper
“With the 2 million dead, whom the war took away from us rests the father of the young storm.
Tough man, Gerhard Schlemsminger. He fell for Germany, left a young wife behind with two children, a boy and a girl.
Hitler does not drink alcohol or does not smoke.
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She bravely went along the path of duty and educated her children to be sincere honourable German citizens in the decadent post-war days of vice and confusion. Her son, Gerhard Schlemenger [?] gave all his energy of the liberation of Germany, until yesterday at the age of 20, he was struck dead by a murderous Bolshevik bullet.”
We are flying [at] 225km/ hour.
[new page]
Goebbels – very large intellectual brow.
Bodyguard rag [plays practical joke] one man who sleeps; cover him with papers, etc..
Flag before, Red “Deutschland Erwache”! [Germany Awakens!]
Hitler does not drink alcohol or does not smoke.
Hitler will stay – Digging himself in. Abolutely Ruthless
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“Von Gleichen is the man who has tried to smash Hitler in every way by friendship & opposition.” Intrigue.
It was probably [?] he who walked out when the Empress & Hitler met.
It must have been sad for the Empress Hermione to see that the whole atmosphere was pro-Hitler in a [new page]
New spirit and not the old.
Hitler speech is just like Revivalist.
Hitler not for the monarchy.
The Kaiserin has failed to get Hitler.
Delmer
Hitler will stay – Digging himself in. Abolutely Ruthless.
Fascism is beginning. Mainly against Marxism.
Fascism is beginning.
Delmer said: ‘he remembered how he gave an interview in 1930; ‘Germany is going with great strides towards Fascism.’
Now coming true.
Delmer: Must get the human ???[ball?] “The wealthiest woman in Germany [new page] is tonight. Hermione, the wife of the Kaiser, has failed in her mission to court Hitler to Monarchism.”
Fascism is beginning. Talking to ??? London.
Mainly against Marxism.
Kir[s]chstein [One of Hitler bodyguard on flight or at Hotel?]
Murderer. Tall well-built young man; row of white teeth; like a smart bus driver.
S.S. Schutstaffel with skull & cross-bones (the eye-cavity being red).
[new page]
“Yes, the Communists attacked our meeting place. There was a fight. I took one and crashed his skull apart [on] the piano. His skull was broken immediately.
“I was ammnested on my birthday.”
“9 Communists were wounded in that fight.”