See how it looked in 1934

Hitler Succeeds Von Hindenburg; Becomes President and Chancellor As Germany’s National Hero Passes

Der Fuhrer At Once Assumes Absolute Powers | Germany Told of Merged Posts in Goebbels' Radiocast | Hitler Orders National Plebiscite On Presidency To Be Held Aug. 19 | National Mourning Decreed | Industry to Shut Down During State Funeral | Navy to Fire 21-Gun Salute | World-Wide Tributes

By Press Wireless from The Christian Science Monitor Bureau

BERLIN, Aug. 2 – The posts of Reich President and Reich Chancellor are henceforth combined and the dual role will be filled by Herr Adolf Hitler, according to a new law promulgated here today two hours after the passing of President von Hindenburg.

The law, it is stated, was drafted at a cabinet meeting last night and adopted unanimously. It provides for the two posts to be amalgamated and for the powers and duties of President to be transferred to Herr Hitler immediately after President von Hindenburg passed.

Herr Hitler is given authority to nominate a deputy who will hold office in case of necessity or during Herr Hitler’s absence.

Herr Hitler today ordered a nation-wide presidential plebiscite to be held Aug. 19.

No International Effect

Political observers here confidently predict that President von Hindenburg’s passing will have little or no effect on the international political situation. The position of the regime will be neither strengthened nor weakened, it is held. Some, however believe there will be some small accession of strength to the Government, since the influence of Dr. Otto Meissner and other non-National Socialists who surrounded the venerable Field Marshal is now eliminated.

The announcement of the President’s passing was radiocast shortly after 9 o’clock this morning and deeply stirred the German people.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, at Tannenberg.

Tributes paid abroad yesterday to the great Field Marshal are much appreciated here, in part removing the impression made by recent attacks upon the National Socialist Party for alleged indirect responsibility for last week’s events in Austria.

Goebbels’ Radiocast

Announcement of President von Hindenburg’s passing was broadcast by Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels, Propaganda Minister, and after a half hour’s pause the same Minister announced that the text of the new law united the Presidency and the Chancellorship.

Manifestos with tributes to the personality and achievements of the President were later issued by Gen. Werner von Blomberg. Defense Minister and head of the Reichswehr; Herr Heinrich Himmler, head of the S.S., and Herr Viktor Lutze, chief of staff of the S.A.

A significant passage in the Blomberg manifesto is “the Field Marshal has opened for us the doors to a new Germany and in this way has fulfilled the aspirations held through centuries of German history. Remembering the heroic figure of the Field Marshal we strive to pass into the German future full of confidence in the leader of the German Reich, Adolf Hitler.”

Army Backs Him

Thus once again at a critical moment in recent German history has the head of the German Army proclaimed his support of Chancellor Hitler. Furthermore, General Blomberg has issued an order that all soldiers are immediately to take the oath of loyalty to “the leader.”

The oath runs as follows: “I swear by God this solemn oath that I will give absolutely obedience to the leader of the German Reich and people, Adolph Hitler, head of the army, and that I will be ready as a brave soldier to lay down my life on his behalf.”

BERLIN, Aug. 2 (AP) – Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, warrior, patriot and President, passed on at 9 a.m. today, and Herr Adolf Hitler became the master of all Germany.

Shortly after word came from President von Hindenburg’s country estate at Neudeck that the 86-year-old hero had passed on, announcement was made here that Chancellor Hitler had assumed the Presidency.

Revoked Old Law

When the word came, Chancellor Hitler and his National Socialist Cabinet were prepared. In a guarded session last night the Cabinet adopted a decree revoking a law of 1932 under which the President of the Supreme Court would become the interim President.

The lowering of the flag to half-staff at Neudeck told Germany and the world of the event it had expected.

Members of his immediate family were at President von Hindenburg’s bedside. They were his son Col. Oskar von Hindenburg, and two married daughters, Frau Irmengard von Brockhusen–Justin and Frau Anna Marie von Bentz.

The Cabinet admonished the German people to go into general mourning. Flags will fly at half-staff from all public buildings and schools. Ships of the nation will accord the leader a 21-gun salute tomorrow.

Amusement and other public places were ordered closed.

Traffic, shops and factories will suspend operations for one minute during the funeral hour.

To the Military

In an order to military forces Gen. Werner von Blomberg, Minister of War, said:
“Hindenburg, our leader in the great war, has left us. His heroic life as a soldier, imbued with a spirit of duty to folk of the Fatherland, is ended. Everyone has faith in Hitler, the leader of our people.”

The Cabinet decree, under which Herr Hitler assumed power, says merely:

“The Reich Government has passed the following law, which is hereby promulgated:
I, The office of the Reich President is united with that of the Reich Chancellor. In consequence thereof the powers heretofore exercised by the Reich President are transferred to Der Führer (Herr Hitler), and the Vice-Chancellor Herr Franz von Papen. He (Herr Hitler) determines who shall be his Deputy.”

‘Back to the Land’ for Reich Jobless

BERLIN – A campaign for overcoming Berlin unemployment, associated with the name of Gen. Hermann Goering, which opened recently, concentrates upon transferring unemployed men now in the city into the country and the replacement of all youths, girls and women by married men and those with families.

Youths under 25 years of age are expected to go to work on the land, or in accordance with the one of the “nine commandments” issued earlier, “with spade in your hand get right back to the land.” East Prussia, with its small population and undeveloped soil, is the province to which they are to go.

An appeal is also issued to all unmarried male hand and brain workers under 25 years of age and all women workers now in employment to yield their positions to married men. Those who make this sacrifice will be sent to work on the land.

German girls are invited not to place pleasures of office and factories before preparation for their proper future calling as German wives and mothers. This conforms to the commandment dealing with working women: “Jobs are not meet for such as you, for at home there is work to do.”