HAUSHOFER AGAIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 14 October 1941, Page 2

HAUSHOFER AGAIN

“SPILLED THE BEANS” ABOUT RUSSIA NAZI BRAINS TRUST PLANS EUR A ERICA j In a recent article in his own publi- ■ I cation "Zeitschrift fur Geopolitik” j Professor Karl Ilaushofer. the wellj known German "geo-politician,” lifts [the veil from Hitler’s plans for world j conquest and unwittingly divulges (secrets which the world will be most |interested to learn. i To understand this matter we must I go back a bit, writes Walter Tschuppik :in the Supplement of the Melbourne j "Argus.” j Throughout the years during which 'Hitler was striving for power in Ger- : many he had a faithful ally in a proj lessor of the University of Munich, : Major-General Dr Huushofer, and his j so-called "geo-political research stud■•ies.” Haushofer’s “geo-political” science was a jumble of geography, | ethnology, and economic and political (speculation, which, so long as there (was free criticism in Germany, was ! scouted by all serious geographers, j Most of them held no very high opin--1 ion of this military dilettante, who J after the last war found a refuge in Munich University. They knew that he J used his chair rather to propagate Hiti ler’s ideas than to further the ends of | -science. But 1933, of course, brought a change. Haushofer became the official and recognised geographer and "geopolitician.” He was responsible for such expressions as "nation without living space”—Hans Grimm, the author, borrowed from Haushofer the title of his novel, "Grossraumwirtschaft,” "Lebensraum,” and so on, terms the characteristic of which is that they were i flexible enough to be adapted to Hit- ! ler's expanding schemes of world con- ; quest. "LIVING SPACE” PLEA Haushofer’s "living spaces” have developed along parallel lines with Hitler’s political adventures. Until 1933 Haushofer and his disciples, in books and newspaper articles, tried to prove that Germany was economically selfsufficient and that, given a new- and intensive system of agriculture, she could be independent of foreign countries even for her food supply. As soon as Hitler felt strong enough to carry his attack into the field of foreign politics, Haushofer began to extend the application of his theories. Germany became an unfortunate "nation without living space”; it had not enough soil. and very soon the “Danubian area” was allotted to Germany "according to geopolitical laws.” New geo-political theories were evolved by Professor Haushofer to justify the attack on Czechoslovakia. Only a "Central European economic area” under German leadership could now make Germany self-sufficient. The whole field of geography was ransacked for evidence—mountains and rivers. climate and soil, wind and weather. According to Haushofer, the mountains of countries coveted by Hitler were no longer natural frontiers against Germany but spurs of the “German Alpine chain.” All the rivers in these countries flowed into rivers or i seas which belonged to the natural living space of Greater Germany; even meteorological charts showed that these countries yearned “by nature” for German domination. Haushofer’s geo-political findings kept always a few steps ahead of Hitler's conquests. While Hitler was still protesting that he had "no further territorial claims in Europe,” Haushofer would quickly prove the necessity of creating new “Grossraume.” The various stages in these expanding) creations were rapid. By the time that! the so-called "new order” in Europe] took its place upon the German I agenda. Haushofer was declaring that the whole continent was self-sufficient.! Not for long. INFORMED IN ADVANCE Professor Haushofer was informed I some weeks in advance of Hitler’s 1 decision to attack Russia. Suddenly; —some while before 22nd June—he] declared in an article in "Zeitschrift! fur Geopolitik” that experience had shown that the continent of Europe ] was unfortunately not self-sufficient as j regards either foodstuffs or industrial' raw materials. The passage in question ( deserves more literal quotation. The; "Weitwoche,” of Zurich, published the! following extract of it on 6th June, 1941: “Up to the outbreak of war it %\a.s thought possible in Germany to establish an absolutely selfsufficient economy within the . ‘great European economic area,’ but experience has since shown I that supplies neither of foodstuffs nor of industrial raw materials are sufficient. j "it is therefore necessary to include ! African reserves of foodstuffs and raw materials within this living space, j which is thus expanded into the ] Eurafriean economic area. Germany ! will be the leader of this vast economic space, arid within certain limits Italy j 1 will be taken into partnership. | "Tl.j following principles will deter--1 mine total production and distribution: ! No single country will be allowed to! | build up a self-sufficient economy, but j rather nearly every one will have to J depend upon Germany for its supply of industrial products. Germany, as the ( sole exception, will have an economy | j balanced between industry and agrieui ture in such a way as to make her wholly independent of all other coun- i

I tries. While German agriculture is thus to be entirely self-sufficient, Germany is to be the industrial centre of the j ‘Great Eurafriean economic area.” I Heavy industry will be concentrated in (Germany, and for that reason a transfer 'of many European industries to GerI many is already being planned. The j distribution of raw materials within this great economic area will be centralised | in Germany.” CASE OF RUDOLF HESS j The article shows, too, that the flight <>f Rudolf Hess to Britain was very i closely connected with the attack on ißussia; it explains why Hitler was com- : polled to decide in favour of the Russian campaign. Hitler himself despairs of the so-called “new order” because it lacks economic viability. ; His dreams have in practice been shattered, mainly because General Rommel’s Egyptian thrust was quickly halted: the Italians have been driven out of East Africa; Syria is in British hands; (and Hess, contrary to his own and Hit'll or's expectations, is held as a prisoner ' of war in England.