A SPECTATOR 'S NOTEBOOK
THE list of moderates, or trimmers, whom Himmler is systemati- cally arresting, makes interesting reading. One is Baron von Neurath, German Ambassador in London just before Hitler's accession to power and Foreign Minister for six years afterwards. During th war he has been " Protector " of Bohemia and Moravia. He is, in fact, of the old school. I talked with him in Berlin in, I think, 1934, and found him obviously uneasy under the new regime. Von Rheinbaben is a different story. A former naval officer, he cultivated friendship with Stresemann and rose to hold for a short period the office of Secretary of State. He professed—perhaps genuinely— much zeal for Anglo-German friendship, and used to discourse on the theme with great heartiness to me and his many acquaintances here. In 1938 he got published over here a volume called Germany Speaks —through the mouths of leading Germans—prefaced by a photo- graph of Hitler and a protestation by Hitler of Germany's goodwill to all mankind. The last time I heard of von Rheinbaben he was actively organising Nazi progaganda in Lisbon. It is surprising that he has got across Himmler ; I should have credited him with ability to trim his sails successfully to any gale. Very different, again, is Adam Trott zu Solz, who had been acting as agent at Stockholm for the opposition group in Germany, many of whose leaders have been hanged. Trott was, I think I am right in saying, a Rhodes Scholar, and like von Rheinbaben, used to come and talk a great deal about Anglo-German understanding. But there was a far more genuine ring about him. Trott appears to have returned to Berlin after his abortive talks at Stockholm. That being so, I can hardly suppose I shall ever see him again. Indeed, as I write these words I am told. he has in fact been hanged.
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