Messersmith, G.S., Vienna. To William Phillips, Washington.
Date
1935-08-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Abstract
Description
Radical program of Nazis intensified during past month; more radical element of Party has upper hand; Hitler very little in Berlin; stays away from storm center while it is at its worst; [Wilhelm] Frick in recent speech demanded that Catholic and Protestant Churches incorporate themselves absolutely into National Socialist State; leaders making violent speeches; S.A. and S.S. again active; will of the Party is the only law; situation of Jews daily more critical; Jews excluded from public office, admission to professions stopped, and other means of earning a living greatly diminished; citizenship law which denies Jew the usual rights of a citizen not yet in effect, but likely to be soon; Frau Kathe Stresemann, Jewess widow of former Chancellor and Foreign Minister in very straightened circumstances; income from small trust fund greatly reduced; now pension cut to almost nothing; her case is only one out of thousands; Jews treated as outcasts in all public places; American Jewess visiting in Germany was informed by hotel keeper that he was not permitted to admit Jews; city officials took her passport and kept it twenty-four hours; may become necessary for Department to warn American Jews to avoid Germany; reports of excesses have reached outside world through good work of newspaper correspondents; because of their factual, objective reports, Nazi leaders furious, and correspondents may find themselves in difficult position; correspondent of leading Swiss newspaper already sent out; calls attention to despatch No. 517 regarding meeting to be held soon between Himmler, Col. [Thomas C.] Moore, Member of Parliament and head of pro-German bloc, and [Clifton M.] Utley, director of Chicago Council of Foreign Relations; Himmler probably trying to get out denials or "correct reports" through apparently non-German and objective sources in England and America which would contradict reports of correspondents; Department might wish to get in touch with Utley on his return; doubts Utley will lend himself to German propaganda; [Vittorio] Cerutti, Italian Ambassador to Germany, transferred to Paris; Cerutti's wife a Jewess, which may have had something to do with transfer; Bremen incident regrettable, but N.Y. police did take action against offenders; German press comment outrageous in view of attacks on American citizens in Germany, while police calmly looked on; action against Stahlhelm practically complete; General [August] von Mackensen obliged to withdraw his honorary membership; Free Masons to be abolished; much corruption within Party; higher leaders making themselves rich while workers live on starvation wages; Nazi officials ordered not to give information concerning their salaries to anyone; believes U.S. should not take part in Olympic Games in Germany; saw General [Charles E.] Sherrill at Ambassador [Dave Hennan] Morris' house in Brussels; gathered impression Sherrill and his committee, whatever their private opinion, would accept assurances of [Theodor] von Lewald, head of German Committee, that there would be no discrimination against Jews in the Games; von Lewald used as facade because of American confidence in him, but he could not keep promises even if he wanted to; Criminal Congress to be held in Germany as planned; ironic that international conference of this kind should be held in Berlin.
Keywords
Messersmith, George S. (George Strausser), 1883-1960.