Diamond In A Cesspool! 1939: "Berlin Thinks Door Is Left Open To Peaceful Solution”

My dear Minister President:

I understand the misgiving to which you give expression. I, too, have never overlooked the grave responsibilities which are imposed upon those who are in charge of the fate of nations. As an old front line fighter, I, like yourself, know the horrors of war. Guided by this attitude and experience, I have tried to remove all matters that might cause conflict between our two peoples.

I have quite frankly given one assurance to the French people, namely, that the return of the Saar would constitute the precondition for this. After its return I immediately and solemnly pronounced my renunciation of any further claims that might concern France. The German people approved of this, my attitude.

After the Saar vote was held as promised, Hitler declared that Germany’s western borders were fixed.

As you could judge for yourself during your last visit here, the German people, in the knowledge of its own behavior held and holds no ill feelings, much less hatred, for its one-time brave opponent. On the contrary, the pacification of our western frontier led to an increasing sympathy. Certainly as far as the German people are concerned, a sympathy which, on many occasions, showed itself in a really demonstrative way.

"There is for the first time since the war a general sense of security. The people are more cheerful. There is a greater sense of general gaiety of spirit throughout the land. It is a happier Germany. I saw it everywhere and Englishmen I met during my trip and who knew Germany well were very impressed with the change.

The idea of a Germany intimidating Europe with a threat that its irresistible army might march across frontiers forms no part of (Hitler’s) new vision." (here)

The construction of the western fortifications, which swallowed and still swallow many millions (of Marks) at the same time constituted for Germany a document of acceptance and fixation of the final frontiers of the Reich. In doing so, the German people have renounced two provinces which once belonged to the German Reich, later were conquered again at the cost of much blood, and finally were defended with even more blood.

I believed that by this renunciation and this attitude every conceivable source of conflict between our two peoples that might lead to a repetition of the tragedy of 1914-1918 had been done away with.

This voluntary limitation of the German claims to life in the West, can, however, not be interpreted as an acceptance of all other phases of the Versailles dictate. I have really tried, year after year, to achieve the revision of at least the most impossible and unbearable provisions of this dictate by way of negotiation. This was impossible.

In this sense I have tried to remove from the world the most irrational provisions of the Versailles dictate. I have made an offer to the Polish government which shocked the German people. Nobody but myself could even dare go before the public with such an offer. It could therefore be made only once.

The yellow areas were stolen from Germany at gunpoint after Germany was deceived and betrayed into unconditionally surrendering during World War I. The ridiculous Danzig Corridor handed all of Western Prussia to Poland, and cut off Eastern Prussia from the Reich. Germans trapped in the Corridor and the "free city" of Danzig (today Gdansk, Poland) were abused and denied the right of self-determination.

I am deeply convinced that if, especially, England at that time had, instead of starting a wild campaign against Germany in the press and instead of launching rumors of a German mobilization, somehow talked the Poles into being reasonable, Europe today and for twenty-five years could enjoy a condition of deepest peace.

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As things were, Polish public opinion was excited by a lie about German aggression. Clear decisions that the situation called for were made difficult for the Polish government. Above all, the government’s ability to see the limitations of realistic possibilities was impaired by the guarantee promise that followed.

“There are 20,000 German Jews in England – in the professions, pursuing research. They all work against an accommodation with Germany.”

“The Jews have got a big position in the press here. . At last I am shaken. The Jews may drive us into war.”

Beaverbrook wrote privately what he dared not say publicly.

The Polish government declined the proposals. Polish public opinion, convinced that England and France would now fight for Poland, began to make demands one might possibly stigmatize as laughable insanity were they not so tremendously dangerous. At that point an unbearable terror, a physical and economic persecution of the Germans although they numbered more than a million and a half began in the regions ceded by the Reich.’

"Above all, propaganda here is entirely in Jewish hands. When bearing public ignorance in mind, their propaganda is so effective that people have no real knowledge of the true state of affairs in Europe ... President Roosevelt has been given the power.. to create huge reserves in armaments for a future war which the Jews are deliberately heading for."