Germans’ Belief in Hitler

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 263, 7 November 1939, Page 10

Germans’ Belief in Hitler

SOUTHLAND TRAVELLER’S IMPRESSIONS “The German peoplo appear to approve of the Nazi .ruling and seem prepared to follow Herr Hitler blindly,” stated Mr. 11. M‘ Quillan, of Gore, in giving some of his impressions of Germany in an interview with the Southland Times. Mr. M‘Quillan has .just returned from a seven months’ trip abroad, during which ho visited England, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. Mr. M‘ Quillan arrived in Germany about the eud of June, and he said that thero seemed to be a different atmosphere as soon as he crossed the border. One could hardly credit the change from the freedom of France, in Germany there was military' discipline everywhere. To discuss Herr Hitler was not safe, and the minute tho Fuhrer’s name was mentioned the people “closed” up. They spoke in one voice about Herr Hitler, saying that all he wanted was the return of all German-speaking people to Germany and a fair share of the colonies. Then ho would be satisfied, they said. “Their reply to my question, 'Why did Germany take Czecho-Slovakia? ’ was that the Czechs were a cruel people and it was not safe to have them on the border of Germany,” said Mr. M‘Quillan. “They believed that, and when 1 told them they were not getting the truth I was advised to get out of Germany or I would be arrested for talking that way. When in Germany you arc not permitted to criticise the German people or Herr Hitlor. If you go with them and think along their lines they will give you a great time, but the minute you attempt to criticise them or Herr Hitler you arc told that it would be advisable for y T ou to leave the country. ’ ’ Departure from Germany.

Mr. M‘Quillan said that after he and his friends, Messrs. A. Herron (Pukerau) and T. Pollock ( Waipounamu), who were with him in Germany, had been told it would bo advisable for them to leave if they continued to discuss Herr Hitler aDd the Nazi ruling, they viewed things in a different light. “Wo were staying at an in in Bingeu-am-Rhine when this occurred,” said Mr. M‘Quillan, “and the place was crowded with soldiers and civilians. Early the next morning I heard a noise outside my window, and on looking out I saw German soldiers, who had been drinking Rhine wine by the look of them, and one of them was swinging a sword above his head. I was not sure whether or not he was looking at mo, but I let the curtains fall back very gently and got back into bed. “The next day we crossed the border into Belgium, and it was like leaving a great weight behind, in Belgium tho people were not frigntened to talk, and the freedom of the country was wonderful after our experiences in Germany. ’ ’

When asked their opinion of tho English the German people would not let themselves “go,” said Mr, M'Quilian. They considered the English to bo land grabbers, and said that England had taken Germany’s colonies by grab bing. In Mr. M* Quillan’s opinion Ger many had enough food to last her for a number of years. There was no shortage while he was there, and there had been an abundance of cattle and sheep. He had also seen wonderful crops during his stay in the country. Impressions of England.

Some interesting impressions on Eng land before and after the war was do dared were given by Mr. M' Quillan He returned to England from France a week before the Germans entered Poland, and even then everything was held up in England with troop movements. Arriving in London he found that children were being removed and everything was working smoothly. The people at Home had hoped up to tho last minute that there would be no war, but when it came they accepted it very quietly. ‘ 1 It was 11 o ’clock on a Sunday morning when war was declared, and as 1 was in church I did not know it had been declared;” said Mr. M‘Quillan. “About 11.20 o’clock we heard a siren, but the service continued until a man interrupted the minister and told those in the church to take cover as thero was an air raid in progress. This proved to be a false alarm, but when 1 got outside the first thing I noticed was the balloou barrage. The balloons were up at a great height, and 1 thought they were a most effective form of defence. There seemed to bo hundreds of them. Everything was extremely well organised in London, and the people took shelter immediately air-raid warn ings were sounded.” Mr. M‘ Quillan said he volunteered for air-raid precautionary work, as he thought he would have to stay in London several months, and he spent a week organising and giving lectures. He was given a steel helmet, gas-proof clothing, and a pair of gum-boots. Ho theu received word that he could get passages for himself, his wife and family to New Zealand, and they were aboard within 36 hours. Convoy of 40 Ships. “There were about 40 ships in the convoy, and they moved at about six knots in tho early stages of the journey,” said Mr. M‘Quillan. “The taster ships, which included our ship, theu grouped together and went off with a destroyer. Our ship had a cargo vessel on cither side of it, so there was not much chance of it being torpedoed. We zig-zagged all the way to New Zea land, the course being altered every 20 minutes. There was a complete blackout on the ship every night and we had to keep the portholes closed even when tho vessel was in the tropics. The trip was uneventful, and our ship- eventually berthed at Auckland.” Mr. M‘ Quillan said that ho had planned to visit Russia, Turkey, Rumania, Poland, Syria and Palestine, but because of the outbreak of war he was forced to cancel his arrangements. He had secured permission to visit Russia and he had been duo thero on October L Ho had also tried to get a permit to enter Holland, but he had not succeeded.