EVERYDAY LIFE IN GERMANY
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I have no reason to doubt the impression left on the mind of your correspondent, Mr. Hardy, who found that in Germany today "everything in the garden is lovely." Neither do I doubt that there are many people in Germany who love being regimented. But he speaks of a "care-free people" !
There is another side to this picture. A few days ago I received a letter from an old friend in Germany who happened at the time to be out of it on a holiday. I cannot give any closer indication of his identity except to say that I know him to be a hard working patriotic German in a very responsible position, and the last man to malign his own country. But this is what he says : "I am here for a few days and can say what I like : that is a wonderful feeling. All our letters to or from foreign countries are read, but they don't show it as they did till some time ago. So please do not be astonished if I am very careful in my letters. Nobody speaks his mind openly in our country and nobody trusts his neighbours. It is horrible. Don't answer this, only let me know you received my letter of May —."
The writer, by the way, is not a Jew and his personal position has been in no way altered by the new rdgime.
I leave your readers to judge whether an enthusiastic tourist, or one who has to live in Germany, is more likely to know the real state of things. "The toad beneath the harrow knows," &c.
London, S.W.
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