GERMAN HAPPENINGS

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 July 1933, Page 6

GERMAN HAPPENINGS

HINDENBURG’S INQUIRY. [TIMES CABLES.] BERLIN, June 30. President Hindenburg has written to Chancellor Hitler expressing concern at the conflict with the Protestant Church. Herr Hitler has promised an investigation by Herr Frick. The police have closed the offices of all the Catholic Clubs that are considered to be political. They also seized their documents. HITLER’S RELIGION. BERLIN, July 1. There is a strange story current that Herr Hitler will abandon Catholicism and will join the new German National Evangelical Church when the Rev. Mr Muller has finished his reorganisation. The story is attributed to Mr Muller. It is further stated that Herr Hitler will urge all the German Catholics to follow him. Evangelical circles are of opinion that Herr Hitler’s proselytism will be a dramatic feature of the national celebrations at the four hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Luther's birth on October 10.

REPORTS DENIED. LONDON, July 2. The Berlin reports that Chancellor Hitler is abandoning Catholicism are stated to be untrue. CENTRE PARTY TO DISSOLVE. (Received July 3, 9 a.m) BERLIN, July 2.

The Catholic Centreists have decided to dissolve, and patiently await Hitler’s conditions for an official dissolution. A completely “totalitarian” state will then have been attained. The Christian People’s Party has also voluntarily dissolved. The chief anxiety of the Centreists relates to the fate of their large number of Reichstag Deputies, who wish admission to Nazi ranks, but are hardly likely to be accepted.

ENGLISHMAN’S OFFENCE'. BERLIN, June 30. John Walter, son of one of the proprietors of “The Times,” drove past another car here, when he was peremptorily ordered to stop. He was surrounded, dragged from his seat, and informed that he had outraged etiquette by overtaking and passing a car containing a high Nazi official. A crowd assembled and Walter was roughly handled before he was thrust back into his own car.

BRUNSWICK SHOOTINGS. (Recd. July 2, 9 a.m.) BERLIN, July 2. There is renewed unrest among the working classes in Brunswick, where an intensive anti-Communist drive resulted in a Nazi storm trooper being killed on Thursday. Tho Nazis on Saturday night were commemorating their dead comrade at the spot where he was shot, when they were fired on from a neighbouring' garden. The police are now ordered ruthlessly to shoot with their revolvers the distributors of Marxist pamphlets.

VICE CHANCELLOR AT ROME. ROME, June 30. Captain Von Papen had three' conversations with Cardinal Pacelli, the Papal Secretary of State. It is understood that he gave explanations as to Chancellor Hitler’s attitude to Catholics, and then he broached the question of a concordat between Germany and the Church. "

EDUCATION SAFEGUARDS. VATICAN CITY, July 2? It is understood that Cardinal Pacelli and Captain Papen reached a concordat in principle, between the Vatican and Germany, linking the existI ing Vatican agreements with Prussia, Bavaria and Baden. It is presumed that Hitler will give adequate assurances in connection with Catholic education. The Pope is expected to aferde to the dissolution of the Centre Party, subject to guarantees. PEACE WITH AUSTRIA, . (Reed. July 3, 9 a.m.) ” VIENNA, July 2. The newspaper “Achturblatt” states that Signor Mussolini is attempting a reconcilation between Hitler ahdiiDbilfuss, and it is intended it should coincide with the signing of the PoutPower Pact at Rome, when the’ two will meet to bury the hatchet and- inaugurate the . close co-operation of Austria-Hungary, under Getma'nItalian protection.