DOWNFALL OF NAZIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23029, 5 May 1938, Page 15

DOWNFALL OF NAZIS

GERMAN'S PREDICTION EXILE GOES TO AMERICA TORONTO, May 3 "If the democracies would unite, the totalitarian States could not stand against them on the basis of their present morale," said Dr. Thomas Mann, German winner of the Nobel Prize' for Literature in 1929. He was exiled from Germany for his Socialistic and pacifist views in 1933 and is on his way to the United States to become naturalised there. "Democracy must learn to go in armour," said Dr. Mann. He predicted the downfall of Nazi-ism within five years. For some years past Dr. Mann has lived in Czechoslovakia.

Dr. Thomas Mann, German novelist, studied literature, history and art at Munich University. His novel "Buddenbrooke," which was published in 1903, made him famous not only in Germany but abroad. "Der Zauberberg" (The Magic Mountain), published in 1924. was an even greater success. Among his later works are: "Early Sorrow." "Mario and the Magician," a twovolume novel "Joseph and His Brethren," and a book of essays, "Demands of the Day." Dr. Mann, when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929, was already well off and he held that there were others with prior claims to the prize. In 1931 he was chosen a member of the Committee for Intellectual Co-

operation in connection with the League of Nations. Next year he announced his adherence to the Socialist Party. He gave addresses in various foreign capitals in connection with the Wagner anniversary in April, 1933. By that time the Hitlerites were in power and protests were made against the views he had expressed. He was ousted from thft Munich Society of Authors and the Academy of Letters in Berlin. Internationalism, Socialism and pacifism had become crimes. A black list of the works of famous authors who were not Nazis was issued and their books were removed from libraries and publicly burned. Dr. Mann's political writings were thus condemned, but the Nazis did not go so far as to ban his masterpieces in fiction. Since then Dr. Mann has lived more than ever abroad.