Messersmith, G.S.
Date
2011-06-15
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Abstract
Description
Recollections of [Heinrich] Brüning; met Brüning, who was then Chancellor, shortly after going to Berlin in 1930; he was a bachelor who lived quietly and went out very little, but did come to Embassy with frequency and he and the then U.S. Ambassador, [Frederick M.] Sackett, had close and helpful relationship; Brüning had difficult position to maintain; there were at the time some 30 parties in Germany, and serious internal problems such as unemployment; British and French governments not making his task easier; throughout all stress and strain, never saw him anything but calm; when Nazi regime came in, Brüning's life was in danger and he had to go into hiding; Gestapo was looking for him and he slept in different house each night, kept in touch with him through friends; when American residents in Berlin learned of Messersmith's appointment as Minister to Austria they gave dinner for him at Hotel Esplanade; during dinner, Messersmith received message that a friend wished to see him in a certain room; excusing himself, he went to the room and found there a distinguished German who was close friend of Brüning; the friend said he had message for Messersmith from Brüning; Brüning expressed regret he could not be at dinner and that Messersmith was leaving Germany, for he knew Messersmith had Germany's best interests at heart; Brüning also said he felt he had to get out of Germany, for it was increasingly difficult for friends to protect him, and they were also being endangered; Messersmith told friend to tell Brüning he would be glad to help in arrangements for Brüning's leaving country; soon thereafter Brüning passed safely over frontier into Holland one night; he later went to U.S. and held professorship at Harvard; saw him from time to time and kept in touch by letter; while Messersmith was Assistant Secretary of State, Brüning visited him at home in Georgetown, and at President Roosevelt's request, Messersmith arranged for Brüning to talk with him; later Brüning spent several weeks with the Messersmiths in Cuba; he was his usual charming self, but very gloomy and in some respects bitter; when Brüning returned to Germany after the war he could not accomodate himself to the new situation; [Konrad] Adenauer was holding position in West German government Brüning had aspired to and there was no important place in West German political picture for him; for those who have admired and respected him and cherished him as friend, the memory of him would be happier if he had given Adenauer the support which he should have.
Keywords
Messersmith, George S. (George Strausser), 1883-1960.