"Hitler's Table Talk" Study Hour: Episode 24

Published by carolyn on Thu, 2014-08-21 17:24
 
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August 21, 2014

Ray Goodwin and Carolyn Yeager read and comment on the Jan. 28-Feb. 2, 1942 dinner table monologues by the German Leader, as taken down in shorthand by trusted aide, attorney Heinrich Heim. Included in this episode:

  • The importance of large families and the rights of growing populations;
  • Recollections of prison days and how to handle the Czechs;
  • Long discussion on his friendship with the Duce, Italian Fascism and the "fossils" of the Italian Court;
  • Hitler describes his early political opponents, plus his experiences with the police and with procuring weapons;
  • Tells some amusing stories about French Ambassador to Germany, Andre-Francois-Poncet;
  • Hitler criticizes his diplomats and questions how to reorganize German diplomacy.

Image: Hitler and Mussolini's expressions reveal the warmth and trust between them as the Führer arrives in Rome for a week-long state visit in May 1938. Enlarge

The edition of Hitler's Table Talk being used was translated by Norman Cameron and R.H. Stevens, published by Enigma Books, New York, and can be found as a pdf here

Comments

What is meant is that Czechs and many other small Eastern European nations have a better life under German hegemony on the continent. Austria-Hungary was an industrial powerhouse that combined German ingenuity with Slavic labor. Today, nothing changed really. Germany is still the powerhouse of Europe and all European Slavs benefit from that, getting jobs or financial help in the EU. An Anti-German nationalism of these peoples is contrary to their interests, even though it might lift their egos.  

I guess that's pretty much what Ray Goodwin was saying. You put it well, Markus.

HI Carolyn. May I suggest to avoid correcting Ray Goodwin's pronounciation of German. It's irritating for me and probably Ray Goodwin as well.
For example, in this podcast, Ray says "Will helm Strasseee" and you say "Will helm Strass uhhh"
But I think it's actually " VEEL helm SHHH trassuhh"!