PATRIOTIC FERVOUR

Evening Star, Issue 21655, 26 February 1934, Page 8

PATRIOTIC FERVOUR

MILITARY DISPLAYS IN GERMANY CHEERING AND GOOSE-STEPPING Frees Association—By Telegraph—Copjrijht. BERLIN, February 25. (Received February 26, at 1.45 p.m.l’ Coinciding with the fourteenth anniversary of the foundation of the Nazi Party, the National Heroes Memorial Day, honouring Germany’s 2,000,000 war dead, was marked by scenes of prewar splendour. The crowds watched 70,000 troops, in every variety of uniform, marching throughout the day, \ from Unter Den Linden to the Lust- ■ garten, where they took the oath of allegiance to Herr Hitler. This example was followed, on a wireless signal from Munich, by hundreds of thousands at Nazi parades in every, other town and village in Germany,— An address was broadcast at the memorial ceremony strongly militaristio in character. It began in the Opera House at noon in the presence of President Hindenburg, Herr Hitler, menu bers of the Cabinet, and leading dignitaries. On the stage the curtain parted to the strains of Beethoven’s ‘ Coriolanus ’ overture,. showing three huge silver wreaths on a black velvet screen, the middle one resting on the Imperial tricolour, surmounted by the iron cross, and flanked by swastika flags, before which stood the Reicfaswehr’s colours, a guard holding up the banner of the Prussian Guards, while General von Blomberg (Minister of Defence) reaffirmed Germany’s innocence of causing the war.

. Herr Hitler called for three cheers for Germany and President Hindenburg. • The National Anthem followed, after which President Hindenburg placed a wreath on the adjacent war memorial and took the salute from the goosestepping Reichswehr, with bayonets fixed.

General Goering,! uniformed as % police general, reviewed his own green.