CHANGES IN HITLER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 38, 13 January 1944, Page 2

CHANGES IN HITLER

PREFERS TO BE ALONE. SYDNEY, Jan. 9.

Extraordinary inner changes in Hitler are reported by travellers from Germany who have had an opportunity to study him under war conditions, reports a Sydney Sun correspondent from London. The best picture is supplied by a Rumanian who met Hitler four times this year, the last time only a month ago. "Before the war Hitler was hallmvstic and half-brutal opportunist, lie savs "Opportunism has faded, and with his growing personal solitariness he is becoming other-worldly. He sleeps badlv and still rises late—rarely before 10.30 or 11 a.m. He insists on being alone for at least an hour a clay, when no one in any circumstances must disturb him. His habits are even simpler than three vears ago. He has occasional parties for male guests at Bercbtesgaden (Bavaria), giving them only l'rencn wines, for which he has developed a strong liking. His moodiness has increased and his taste for solitude has intensified. "One of his aides told me I hat violent rages aro often followed by fits of weeping and talks of 'needless bloodshed. These outbursts aro hus&ed up by his staff. . _ ~ "Hitler has not been in Berlin since the big bombings began. He never had many intimates, and to-day he has none. Ribbcnlrop (Foreign Minister) was probably closer to Hitler than anyone, but he, too, has lost face because of his conviction that Britain and Russia could never work together. At his headquarters Hitler still sees all fr6nt-line reports and attends all High Command meetings, but he no longer tries to over-rule majority decisions of his generals.' A report that von Papon (German Ambassador to Turkey) has been talking freely about Hitler's downfall and naming himself as hie successor is published in Collier's Magazine by Frank Gervasi. its Mid-East correspondent. Papen is credited with talking of a peace plan which would restore all stolen lands except the Sudetenland and Austria.