LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
[Correspondents are requested to keep their letters as brief as is reasonably possible. The most suitable length is that of one of our " News of the Week" paragraphs. Signed letters are given a preference over those bearing a pseudonym.—Ed. THE SPECTATOR.] WHAT DOES GERMANY MEAN ? [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
have been a reader of The Spectator for years, and am grateful for all the enjoyment it has given to me. I venture, then, to send you this letter because I am on the spot, and, as a native both of Germany and Austria I have some experience of both countries.
Here in Austria, as everywhere, we feel the imminent danger of war. I am not sure, however, if the English public at large fully realizes the threat inherent in the German attitude and situation. I wonder if they are aware how bad conditions really are in Germany, and that the desperate financial situation will make them gradually worse. When the worst has come to the worst, and she has literally nothing else to lose, Germany will not hesitate to go to war.
The general sympathy shown to Austria by England, for which we are deeply thankful, seems to:indicate that people do realize what .is the first stepping stone for Germany on her way to expansions. History is indeed repeating itself. Before 1866 Prussia was the same aggressive power she is now—the mind of her people and leaders has not changed. She wanted hegemony then ; she is striving for it now. In 1866 she turned upon Austria—then a large but inadequately armed Empire—and dealt it so severe a blow that it was powerless to interfere for some years thereafter. Then in 1870 she turned on France, conquered her, and after that the south of Germany was half persuaded, half frightened, into joining Prussia. In the same way she now plans to acquire Austria and, this done, she will be in so commanding a position in Europe that she will not only keep Czecho- Slovakia at bay—very likely subdue her—but she will also attract her surrounding smaller neighbours—Holland, Den- mark, Switzerland, &c., made ripe by propaganda—just as anything strong and powerful will always attract the weaker elements around it. When it has come to that, who can doubt that the least thing she will do is to deal her long prepared blow at France?
She is now propagating her doctrine of National Socialism in all her neighbour countries, preparing them for the idea of the union of all German speaking peoples, and when that idea has ripened she expects the German minorities to rise and claim to be incorporated in the National Socialist " totalitarian " State. Her present interference with her smaller neighbours has already led to some remonstrances from them, and if con- tinued might produce grave incidents which Germany cer- tainly wishes to avoid for the present. Not so in the case of Austria ! Germany believes that Austria is already so Nazi at heart that it would be easy to set up a Nazi government. That would be absolutely the same thing as the actual Ansch- hiss. as Austrian Nazis would follow Hitler blindly. In this way—not by open conflict, but by intrigue from within—a Prussian government would be established in Vienna, and all Austria's resources made to serve the purposes of Germany. Hitler, for instance, is reported to have said in private that he must have Austria in order to have enough offices to give his followers ! And moreover, and more important, Germany would thus vastly increase her military recruiting field. The subjugation of Austria could thus be attained without any declaration of war ; and no European power would think it a case for military interference.
We Austrians are certainly Germans, too, and nobody wants to. deny that ; but we are far more akin to the Southern and Western Germans. The true Germans are the people west of the Elbe. They do not want to rule the world politi- cally. But the Prussians—the peoples east of the Elbe—do want such dominion.. The danger is that the others fall under their influence because they admire the Prussians for their
efficiency." The younger generation of Prussia which was not in the War is only too ready to fight. For Prussian men- tality is unchanged. It still holds : " What is good for me is Right." They are claiming today what they claimed in
1914—what they call " their place in the sun." They profess that they want no more than that, that they do not want war. But what does this really mean ? Would they be content
until they had pushed others out of their places in the sun ? Certainly not. That is why Germany's present Austrian propaganda does not concern Austria alone, but is a direct threat to the peace of Europe.
By this time surely it is plain to the youngest child that the continued conversations about disarmament have little bearing on the immediate danger. Can nothing practical be done ? Is it not possible to induce Germany to abstain from her Austrian ambitions and to conclude with Austria a truce similar to her truce with Poland—a settling of grievances which has been applauded by everybody ? Cannot England, France and Italy jointly point out to Germany that her Au9trian propaganda means, in effect, the annexation of Austria and is a threat to the stability and peace of Europe, and that she could only give a convincing proof of her candour and her real will to peace by a solemn pledge that she will leave Austria alone ; that she will give up plotting for Nazi supremacy and government in Austria ; that she forbids to all her subjects any sort of Nazi propaganda in Austria, and that no Austrian Nazi can hope for any reward from the German side? Not before this step is taken by the Powers will they have done everything that can be done to avoid war ; and not before Germany has renounced her claim to Austria can her will to peace be believed.
If I write as a German-Austrian who sees in the threat from Germany the absorption of her country, the crushing of free- dom and the destruction of all we have of art and culture, I write also as a European who sees that the real balance of power is at stake and that the present threat to Austria is the first move towards war.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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