Tuesday, March 12, 2013

When Hitler Visited Linz.

Today marks the 75th year of Hitler's speech in Linz, Austria. Hitler was born in 1889 at the Gasthof zum Pommer, a town on the border with Bavaria, Germany. When Hitler was three, the family moved to Passau, Germany. In 1894 the family relocated to Leonding (near Linz). After many years of service in Germany and rising to the leadership of the country. He finally gets to visit Linz.

The preceding days were tumultuous and angst-gripping as He did not give a direct plan for his invasion. Nonetheless, the German troops walked into some Austrian cities and took over within days without waging war. Many Austrians were struck with fear about the Nazis' invasion. Some cities had armed themselves in the face of the invasion but his address from Linz changed the fate of many. With thunderous cheers of "Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!" broadcast across Bavaria and the other cities, the Nazis' had captured Austria. He was back to his land of birth and his aim was to rebuild it and give it a  befitting status. The main city center in Linz used to be called "Adolf Hitler platz" during those years of the occupation...

From a Balcony at the old Rathaus (City center), this is what he had to say:

"I thank you all for your words of greetings. But above all I thank you who are assembled here and testified to the fact that it is not the will and desire of only a few to establish this great Reich of the German race, but the wish and the will of the German Volk (people)!"

[Crowd shouting: Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!]

"There be those among you this evening, our reputed international truth-seekers, who will not only perceive for themselves this reality, but admit it afterward too. When i first  set forth from this city, i carried within me exactly the same devout that fills me today. Try to fathom my inner emotion at having finally made this faithful pledge come true after so many long years."

[Crowd shouting: Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!]

"The fact that providence once summoned me forth from this city to the leadership of the Reich, must have meant it was giving me a special assignment, and it can only have been  the assignment of restoring my cherished home to the German Reich! "

"I...[Crowd shouting: Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!] I have believed in this assignment, i have lived and fought for it, and i believe i have now fulfilled it!"

[Crowd shouting: Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!]

"May you all witness and vouch for this! I do not know when you yourselves will be summoned. I hope the time is not far off. Then you shall be asked to stand up to your own pledge, and it is my belief that i will be able to point to my homeland with pride before the entire German Volk.

[Crowd shouting: Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!]

"The outcome must then prove to the world that any further attempt to tear this Volk assunder will be in vain."

[Crowd shouting: Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!]

"Just as you will then under an obligation to make your contribution to make your obligation to this German future, the whole of Germany is likewise willing to make its contribution."


[Crowd shouting: Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!]

"And this, it is already doing today! May you see in the  German soldiers who are marching here this very hour from all the Gaus of the Reich fighters willing and prepared to make sacrifices for the unity of the great German Volk as a whole, and for ..."

[Crowd shouting: Hitler!Hitler!Hitler!]

"...and for the power and the glory and splendor of our Reich, now and forever!Deutschland, Sieg Heil!"

[Crowd shouting: Sieg Heil!Sieg Heil!Sieg Heil!]