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GERMANY SPEAKS This hitherto unpublished photograph of the Führer and Reich Chancellor was granted to the publishers for publication in “Germany Speaks”. "Germany is making every effort in reconciling the apparently conflicting social interests which threaten the integral unity of all nations, to give her people the happiness of a community held together in brotherly fashion; to assist those in poorer circumstances and to further all good and healthy instincts for the material and personal well-being of the people as a whole. "With the same spirit which governs our actions at home we wish to establish our relations abroad. "We believe that the tasks which Providence has set us all, if we are to dwell amicably side by side on this earth, must be solved in the same spirit; we wish, therefore, to co-operate sincerely and confidently with all Nations and all States who share these sentiments: and to put this our earnest striving into practice." THE FÜHRER AND CHANCELLOR OF THE REICH to the Diplomatic Corps. January 11th, 1938. GERMANY SPEAKS by 21 Leading Members of PARTY and STATE With a Preface by JOACHIM VON RIBBENTROP, Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs LONDON Thornton Butterworth Ltd First published . May 1938 Second Impression . May 1938 Third Impression . June 1938 WRAPPER DESIGN BY BRUNO KARBERG OF HAMBURG. All rights reserved MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN PREFACE THE Führer and Chancellor has repeatedly referred to the importance attaching to Anglo-German relations for the peaceful development of Europe. As Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs I look upon it as one of my duties to assist in every way possible any movement genuinely desirous of promoting understanding between these two great nations. Thus I welcome the following chapters in which competent authorities have endeavoured to bring those problems and ideas which actuate life in Germany closer to the understanding of the English. Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs. BERLIN, April 2nd, 1938. 9 10 CONTENTS FÜHRER AND REICH CHANCELLOR Frontispiece PAGE PREFACE ............................................................................................................ 9 JOACHIM VON RIBBENTROP, Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs PUBLISHERS' NOTE .....................................................................................................15 Part I FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW GERMANY SECT. 1. GERMANY AS A UNITARY STATE ............................................................................19 DR. FRICK, Reich Minister of the Interior 2. POPULATION POLICY ...............................................................................................26 DR. ARTHUR GÜTT, Head of the National Hygiene Department in the Ministry of the Interior 3. NATIONAL SOCIALIST RACIAL THOUGHT ..............................................................41 DR. WALTER GROSS, Head of the Reich Bureau for Enlightenment on Population Policy and Racial Welfare 4. THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN NATIONAL SOCIALIST GERMANY .................................................................................................................46 DR. FRANZ GURTNER, Reich Minister of Justice 5. THE PLACE OF WOMEN IN THE NEW GERMANY ...................................................50 FRAU GERTRUD SCHOLTZ-KLINK, Reich Women's Leader 6. EDUCATION IN THE THIRD REICH ...........................................................................53 BERNHARD RUST, Reich and Prussian Minister of Science, Education and Popular Enlightenment 7 THE ESSENCE OF "PROPAGANDA" IN GERMANY. ..................................................61 DR. G. KURT JOHANNSEN, Managing Director of the Hanse Press 11 CONTENTS Part II HOW GERMANS LIVE - LABOUR SECT. PAGE 1. FINANCIAL POLICY. .................................................................................................67 FRITZ REINHARDT, Secretary of State in the National Ministry of Finance 2. THE NATIONAL FOOD ESTATE ................................................................................75 R. WALTHER DARRÉ, Reich Minister of Food and Agriculture, Reich Farmers' Leader, Reichsleiter of the National Socialist Party 3. SOCIAL POLICY IN THE NEW GERMANY. ...............................................................79 DR. ROBERT LEY, Leader of the National Labour Front 4. THE STATE LABOUR SERVICE IN GERMANY .........................................................91 SENIOR LABOUR LEADER MÜLLER-BRANDENBURG, Leader of the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Department attached to the Reich Labour Leader 5. THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST WELFARE ORGANISATION AND THE WINTER HELP SCHEME ....................................................................................95 ERICH HILGENFELDT, Head of the National Socialist Welfare Organisation Part III HOW GERMANS LIVE - LEISURE SECT. PAGE 1. GERMAN SPORT ......................................................................................................105 HANS VON TSCHAMMER UND OSTEN, Reich Sports Leader 2. GERMAN CULTURE AND LITERATURE ..................................................................109 DR. HANS FRIEDRICH BLUNCK, Honorary President of the Reich Chamber of Literature, Member of the Reich Culture Senate and of the Senate of the Academy of Literature 3. THE MOTOR HIGHWAYS BUILT BY HERR HITLER THE PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION AND IMPORTANCE OF THE REICH MOTOR ROADS ...........................................................................118 DR. TODT, Inspector-General of the German Road and Highways System 12 CONTENTS Part IV GERMANY AND THE WORLD SECT. PAGE 1. GERMANY'S POSITION IN WORLD ECONOMY.......................................................131 DR. HJALMAR SCHACHT, Reich Minister and President of the Reichsbank 2. THE COLONIAL PROBLEM ......................................................................................137 GENERAL RITTER VON EPP, Reich Governor in Bavaria, Reich Leader of the Colonial League and the Colonial Board of the National Socialist Party 3. DEVELOPMENTS IN GERMAN COMMERCIAL PUBLICITY, ITS REORGANISATION AND RELATIONS TO GREAT BRITAIN ............................................................................145 ERNST REICHARD, President of the National Board for Trade Publicity 4. GERMANS ABROAD.................................................................................................150 E. W. BOHLE, Head of the Foreign Organisation of the National Socialist Party and Secretary of State in the Foreign Office 5. THE PRESS AND WORLD POLITICS ........................................................................157 DR. DIETRICH, Secretary of State, Reich Chief of Press 6 GERMANY AND ENGLAND. WHAT HAS BEEN: WHAT IS: WHAT OUGHT TO BE....................................................................................... 167 FREIHERR VON RHEINBABEN, former Secretary of State 13 14 PUBLISHERS' NOTE UNDERSTANDING and practical co-operation in the interests of peace between Great Britain, Germany, France and Italy, are the supreme desideratum of our day. It is therefore essential that the British Public should obtain reliable information on Germany's political and economic aims and aspirations, and a picture of the developments in that country since Adolf Hitler came to power. This authoritative book is an endeavour to meet that crying need. In it almost all the Reich Ministers or their responsible representatives, Secretaries of State and leading Party Officials have furnished a carefully balanced account of their individual activities. The English reader is thus shown the attitude of Germany on things economic and political, foreign and domestic, her claim to colonies, and numerous other aspects of life in the Reich. It is hoped that such a clarification of German policy, enunciated by those most intimately concerned, may contribute towards a clearer understanding of our neighbour's aims and aspirations. Preparations for the publication of this book were already well advanced when the Publishers had the gratification of receiving the following message of approval and encouragement from Reich Minister Baron von Neurath, President of the Secret Cabinet Council: This book should be looked upon as an earnest endeavour on the part of the Germany created by Adolf Hitler to explain in plain and simple language - as I think every reader will admit - to her neighbour across the North Sea her plans and achievements, her desires and aims. I therefore venture to express the wish that its thoughts and words may not pass unheard, but be received in England in a spirit of understanding and friendship. I personally believe that a frank discussion before the public of the world between these two great and kindred nations should constitute a valuable contribution towards the advent of peace to Europe and the whole world. It is in this spirit that I wish every success to Germany Speaks. It only remains to thank those who have contributed the various articles and particularly our Hamburg collaborator, Dr. G. Kurt Johannsen, who was instrumental in obtaining the entire material; and to state that, while we cannot be expected to agree with all the views herein expressed, we hope that by the publication of this book we may have contributed in some small measure to international goodwill. 15 16 PART I FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW GERMANY 17 18 SECTION ONE GERMANY AS A UNITARY STATE DR. FRICK Reich Minister of the Interior ERMANY has been centuries behind Great Britain and France in achieving her national Gconsolidation; and many struggles, both internal and external, have