GERMANY CELEBRATES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 81, 3 October 1927, Page 9

GERMANY CELEBRATES

PRESIDENT'S BIRTHDAY

HINDENBURG EIGHTY

(United Press Association.—Copyright.)

(Received 3rd October, 1 p.m.)

BERLIN, 2nd October.

No royal Kaiser was accorded such a reception as President Hindenburg in his triumphal progress through the city. The pomp and splendour of tho old regime were reborn for a day. The seven, miles of streets through which he drove from the Palace to the Stadium were thronged from daylight with young and old, anxious to show respect to the veteran President and warrior. More tha,n a hundred thousand ex-sold-iers in semi-military uniform, with martial banners, standards, and war flags, decorated with green oak leaves, many men with' Iron Crosses pinned to their breasts, marched through the streets to take up their position as a guard of honour. There were also top-hatted, frockcoated, and bemedalled i'oterans of the older, wars, numerous ex-offlcers, full of military pomp with glittering medals and orders Bavarian and Tyrolese peasants in picturesquo national costumes and students in gala attire.

IMMOBILE AB EVEB.

Behind a double row of these the public looked on cheering wildly as the open car with President' Hwdenburg and Chancellor Marx passed on to the Stadium. The President won; a frock coat and top hat, and showed, as always, no emotion, but remained upright and immobile.

On arrival at the Stadium, where were gathering forty thousand children, brightly attired, he drove slowly round the arena, while a gigantic chorus, amid a heap of garlands of flowers, sang patriotic songs. Then the President arose amid deep silence and thanked the children. He urged them not to forget the Fatherland, and called for three cheers for Germany. There was a deafening response, and the multitude joined in.with "Deutsehland über Alles."

, The President returned by the same route to the Palace.,

BOUNDLESS ENTHUSIASM.

The enthusiasm v/aa boundless, clearly indicating a popularity such as no German idol has attained since Bismarch. Eepublican flags were equally displayed, 'while every shop window, advertisement, and hoarding contained a photograph. Street traders retailed tens of thousands of portrait buttons. The generals of the old army, Mackensen, Yon Kluck, and Linsingen, and Admiral Shroeder were'among the wellwishers. A notable absentee was Field.Marshal yon Ludendorff. Replying to Field-Marshal Mackensen's congratulatory speech, President Hindenburg said: "The spirit still lives, and by this spirit we shall work our way iip again." , He received 16,000 telegrams from all over the world.