The War That Had To Be
SIR,—Alan Bullock wrote, 'Even in 1939 Hitler did not deliberately plan a European war.'
Yet, in an issue of a magazine published exclu- sively for and by the German navy, I think it was March 1938, in any case 1938, an article was pub- lished giving full details—with maps—for the bombing of Rotterdam. This article explained that after having won the war, Rotterdam was to be rebuilt as a German port, and only a few, relatively new, build- ings in the centre of the town were to be spared, since these could well be used and included in the German reconstruction plan. And these buildings mentioned in the article and clearly shown on the maps were, in fact, spared: the town hall, the main post office and a.few others.
The magazine was still in my possession when I was arrested by the SD in March 1941, but (fortu- nately for me) destroyed by friends.
Prinsengracht 24211, Amsterdam
ELKA SCHRIJVER
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