HITLER SONG.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 237, 5 October 1940, Page 8

HITLER SONG.

ENGLAND'S WAR GUILT

NAZI SOLDIER'S PARROT TALK

LONDON, August 30

In neutral Portugal this week a German soldier gave his views on the war to an Englishman. The German was one of 40 army lorry drivers who had been sent to Oporto to collect the salvage of the Netherlands liner Orania, which sank in 1935 at Leixoes, and to take it through Spain back to Germany.

"The Portuguese are the first smiling people I've seen for 18 months," he said. "The Germans arc proud but unsmiling, and have been for a long time.

"Last winter's food shortage along tho Belgian frontier where I was stationed was very distressing and all old or useless people suffered cruelly. Since the occupation the food lias been more varied, but not much more plentiful. Much leave lias been granted to the shock troops, who have been sent to French seaside and health resorts. They have not been sent home, f as travelling is limited because of the destruction of railways in France and Belgium. Repairs have been slow because of the metal shortage, which is still acute. This many-railed trip I'm doing is to collect nvetal plates at the <-.*t of a quantity of precious petrol.

"I found the French jteoplo unsociable but unresentful. Wo were told to fraternise with them, but this was difficult. Men with farming knowledge have been drafted into France to undertake the whole of the harvesting as many French farmers have refused to help. The harvest has got to be in quickly and safely. And it has got to bo plentiful. We are not going to face another winter like the last."

Asked what was the fierman soldier's view yl the much-advertised "invasion" of Britain, he replied: "It must succeed because all the Fuehrer's plans do. England started the war by arrogance and deserves punishment for her war guilt, for the thousands of German dead and for the dead of her Allies and friends." When he said this it sounded parrot-like, and, surely enough, his colleagues repeated his phraseology and intonation. <