GENERAL VON BLOMBERG

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 December 1939, Page 12

GENERAL VON BLOMBERG

TRAGIC FIGURE OF NAZIDOM General-Field-Marshall Baron Werner von Blomberg will go down in history as one( of the tragic figures of the Hitler era in Germany. Minister for War of the German Reich, a solI dier of more than ordinary ability, ■ an aristrocrat, and a man high in the counsels of his Fatherland, he ruined everything by marrying his secretary, a pretty girl of humble birth and 33 years younger than himself (writes Beverly Hill in the Melbourne Argus). His personal tragedy is spectacular implications'. Accordin/g to the Brienough, but behind it arei sinister tish Ambassador in Berlin (Sir Nevile Henderson), the disturbances caused by his outrage fo the army tradition was an important factor in hastening the war. , Herr Hitler himself did not oppose the marriage hut he warned von Blomberg that the army would be violently resentful. He was' right. The marriage resulted in Blomberg’s expulsion from Germany for many months, and his eventful banishment to an island iff the coast of Spain. Compelled to leave Germany, von Blomberg and his young bride left on a long honeymoon, and it wasi as this was nearing an end that I met them. We were fellow-passengers on the Dutch liner Christina Huygens, sailing from Java to Europe. We became sufficiently good friends during the voyage for him to ask me to stay with them- for a period during my sojourn in Europe. But that comes later. Von Blomberg and his wife did not speak with the other German passengers in the ship, and were in turn ignored by them. When I was first introduced to the Baron, I did not realise his eminence, for he certainly did not give the impression of being an ex-army leader of Hitler . . . and Germany.

In socail life h& was not a forceful personality. Extremely auiet and reserved, it was only on closer contact. that, his great intelligence could be noticed. . Physically he is a huge, well-built ( man: but he has a withered leg, which he sustained in a riding accident a

few years ago. His white hair and soft blue eyes often lend to his face a childish expression. He speaks English perfectly, as is tlief case with many Germans. His wife, however, can speak no other language but her own.

The Baroness, some 33 years younger than her husband, is tall and fair, Gdrman fashion. She was formerly extremely attractive in a typically Lusie Gruhn, daughter of a Hamburg artisan. She loved deck sports, and excelled in them. Sometimes she would dance in the evenings with the officers and passengers, while her husband read light novels, of which he had a vast" collection. Only to play bridge would he arous'e himself to take part in the general life of the ship. Bidding us farewell at Gemoa, .General von Blomberg and his wife said: “Wir hoffen dass Sie bleiben Konnen”—“We hope that you will come to stay with us.” They went ashore to spend some time in Italy awaiting permission to return to Germany. When in South Germany, and in the vicinity of Lake Weidersee, we called at the Baron’s chalet. However, he was still in Italy and was not expected at his-residence until the winter. A month later he wrote inviting us to visit him, but unfortunately it sed, was too late. The opportunity had pasNowadays, no doubt, General von Blomberg from his island of exile wonders whether he will see once more his beautiful chalet in Bohemia. Will his destiny be similar to that of his contemporaries in power. Von ritsch has already met his fate.