11 AUGUST 2001, Page 30

The original Zelig

From Dr Robert Kaplan Sir: Matthew Parris is not quite right in saying that Trebitsch Lincoln met Hitler (Another voice, 28 July). In fact, they came within a few minutes of encountering each other during the Kapp putsch, thereby denying history the opportunity for some interesting speculation.

Readers may be interested to know that Woody Allen's character Zelig was based on Trebitsch Lincoln, who was, like so many other fantasists, in all likelihood manic depressive.

Robert Kaplan

Wollongong, NSW, Australia