The party is all-embracing. It rules our lives in all their breadth and depth... There will be no license, no free space, in which the individual belongs to himself. This is Socialism... Let them then own land or factories as much as they please. The decisive factor is that the State, through the party, is supreme over them, regardless whether they are owners or workers.

What they hate is the Germany which sets a dangerous example for them, this social Germany. It is the Germany of a social labor legislation which they already hated before the World War and which they still hate today. It is the Germany of social welfare, of social equality, of the elimination of class differences—this is what they hate! They hate this Germany which in the course of seven years has labored to afford its Volksgenossen a decent life. They hate this Germany which has eliminated unemployment, which, in spite of all their wealth, they have not been able to eliminate. This Germany which grants its laborers decent housing—this is what they hate because they have a feeling their own peoples could be "infected" thereby. They hate this Germany of social legislation, this Germany which celebrates the first of May as the day of honest labor.

In view of the gravity of the situation, I wish to make a statement which I would like you to forward to M. Daladier.
As I have already told him, I bear no enmity whatever towards France.
I have personally renounced all claims to Alsace-Lorraine and recognized the Franco-German frontier.
I do not want war with your country; my one desire is to maintain good relations with it.
I find indeed the idea that I might have to fight France on account of Poland a very painful one.
The Polish provocation, however, has placed the Reich in a position which cannot be allowed to continue.
Several months ago I made extremely fair proposals to Poland, demanding the return of Danzig to the Reich and of a narrow strip of territory leading from this German city to East Prussia.
But the guarantee given by the British Government has encouraged the Poles to be obstinate.
Not only has the Warsaw Government rejected my proposals, but it has subjected the German minority, our blood-brothers, to the worst possible treatment, and has begun mobilization.
At first, I forbade the Press of the Reich to publish accounts of the cruelties suffered by the Germans in Poland.
But the situation has now become intolerable.
Are you aware, that there have been cases of castration?
That already there are more than 70,000 refugees in our camps?
Yesterday seven Germans were killed by the police in Bielitz, and thirty German reservists were machine-gunned at Lodz.
Our aeroplanes can no longer fly between Germany and East Prussia without being shot at; their route had been changed, but they are now even attacked over the sea.
Thus, the plane which was carrying State Secretary Stuckart was fired at by Polish warships, a fresh incident which I was not yet in a position to bring to the notice of Sir Nevile Henderson this morning.
No nation worthy of the name can put up with such unbearable insults.
France would not tolerate it any more than Germany.
These things have gone on long enough, and I will reply by force to any further provocations.
I want to state once again: I wish to avoid war with your country.
I will not attack France, but if she joins in the conflict, I will see it through to the bitter end.
As you are aware, I have just concluded a pact with Moscow that is not only theoretical, but, I may say, practical.
I believe I shall win, and you believe you will win: what is certain is that above all French and German blood will flow, the blood of two equally courageous peoples.
I say again, it is painful to me to think we might come to that. Please tell this to President Daladier on my behalf.

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I never loved my father, [he used to say,] but feared him. He was prone to rages and would resort to violence. My poor mother would then always be afraid for me. When I read Karl May once that it was a sign of bravery to hide one's pain, I decided that when he beat me the next time I would make no sound. When it happened – I knew my mother was standing anxiously at the door – I counted every stroke out loud. Mother thought I had gone mad when I reported to her with a beaming smile, 'Thirty-two strokes father gave me!' From that day I never needed to repeat the experiment, for my father never beat me again.

A man who possesses the art of correct reading will … instinctively and immediately perceive everything which in his opinion is worth permanently remembering, either because it is suited to his purpose or generally worth knowing … The art of reading, as of learning, is this: … to retain the essential, to forget the nonessential.

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