Germany in Exile

(Heinrich Mann, famous German author and thinker, who is now living in Paris in exile from Nazi Germany, declares here that the real Germany is in the hearts of the exiles from that land. The exiles, the declares, are the voice of “Their mute, broken people before the world.” In the following article, which is reprinted by special arrangeemtn from “The Moder Thinker” through the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Mann calls on the exiles to unite in combating Hitler propaganda throughout the world.-Editor’s Note).

The murderer of an exile has a great advantage over the police of a foreingn coutry by being underthe protection of the German spy service. The assassin of an is selected from gentlement of questionable character. The real National Socialist heroes operate only where there is no danger. The hope of Hilter’s criminal henchmen is ot return to their mother country, where they will be feted and “welcomed” by the chieftain.

Every group of exiles opposes these assassins and propagandists of the Nazi faith by every legal means. In foreign countries German exiles still enjoy th privilege of equality before tha law and the assurance of personal protection. Hitler’s henchmen, however. work under pretence, with false passports and forged papers.

Germany’s exiles should organize in defense of their rights against th putrid propaganda of Hitler’s Germany. It will do slight good to ignore them. It is necessary to bring this terrorism into the open light of day. There is no need for the exile to have anything in common with that Germany which forces its own that Germany which forces its own people to become expatriates on a foreign soil.

“I AM LOST”

Even if nobody abroad should realize what life in present-day Germany is like, the exile will never forget it. The ral Germany lies wtihin the hearts of all those suppressed within Germany’s borders. The letters which the exiles reveive from those who have remained in the Fatherland bear solemn witness to this fact. Most of them conclude with the statement “If these lines come into the wrong hands, I am lost.” These letters are from people in important public and private positions. Most likely they wear the swastika in their buttonholes. I am sure they mouth a hundred times a day mouth a hundred times a day the phrase “Heil Hitler.” Evenings, behind closed doors they say what they think and we learn their real opionion. Their’s is buffoons’ masquerade that lasts till evening.

Of course if the letters of these unfortunates should be apprehended, the missives will never receive a pulic audience at the hands of that arrogant braggart who stated over the radio that he and his associates have th support ot the whole nation. From these letters the exiles know that intelligent and sentient Gemany is with them. They most deserve the ignominy of being led by the leaders nominy of being led by the leaders they have selected. This real Germany has no voice today and was driven to practice falsehood and sumulation. The exiles include within their ranks thinkers and men of character. Those others who remain in Hitler’s Germany which is in exiles to be modest about its superiority. Organization and cooperationi by # those abroad will be of value, not only materially, but spiritually.

The anti-Hitler progaganda aboard still focuses itself upon the persecution of the Jews. However, only twenty-five per cent of the German exiles in Paris are Jews, and the proportions do not differ very much in other Eruopean countries of refuge. The experiences of the Jews in Germany have been terrible. Nor have these experiences yet ceases. Much of the anti-Simitism expresses itself in pogroms and publick ridicule. They are talking away position and property from the Jew before the very eyes of an aghast world. The exiled Jews have a full right to make their sufferings public and to look for sympathy and allies in all countries. It is a mistake, however, for the various anti-Hitler demonstration to stress mainly the complaints of the Jews. Occasionally sympathy is expressed for the persecuted thinkers. The fate of Marxists at these great public demonstrations is ignored. This, although Hitler declared that he hated the Jews not because they are Jews but beacause they are purveyors of Marxism. Jews should never forget this, for it is high praise. The leader of darkets Germany counts them distinctly among those unfortunate enough to be enlightened.

STRESSES CLASS HATRED

The Jews ought to be clear on this point. What can they expect of a Germany with has neither thinkers nor Marxists, and where the unselfish serch for truth is just as little tolerated as the demand of the down-trodden for justice? The rights of the Jews stand and fall with the rights of the others that are suppressed. Their complaints will be of no avail as long as the law of fang and fist preyails in Germany.

It seems to me they have not yet asked themselves whether they would want to return, event if it were possible, to a country which has founded its future on a lie, the lie of the race theory; where all real values have been scrapped one lives merely on the basts of seed. The hatred against the Jews is subordinated ot the all embracing hatred against human liberty. It is to the advantage fo the suppressors, that this truth is not known to the world. In fact they want it to appear that the problem of exile is peculiarly a Jewish one. There is truly method in this madness. All this is to justify continued tyranny by the beastly association of Hitler and Co.; making the German people believe there is no class hated by creating “Jew” hatred to take its place.

The other nations know enough that is unpleasant about Germany. What they need is to realize th conditions that have led the German people to this catastrophe and to hope for a change. There is a people here tht has been betrayed instead of education by its government. The Republic neglected to educate its people and its foes have betrayed it. Such is the fact. It is the duty of the exile to make this fact known wherever he can. Not all of Germany is voluntarily indulging in mass mania. Superficially Germany appears to be retrogressing from its “non-German” civilization back into the dark of the Teutonic forests. The truth is that this civilization could have been achieved without German assistance as little as it could have been without French or Roman. Civilization is an integrated unity and none of the intergers can dissolve without self-annihiliation to th whole.

But the God-deserted professors who wish to give to National Socialism a scientific foundation, like their mediocre predecessor, Fichte, go about their scientific dissertations with outrageous audacity. But behind all this nonsense of race, abolition of Marxist class hatred and equal representation af all professions, there is one proletariat and one capitalist. This is so. I am reminded of the well known sausage which during the war had ot be shared by officers as well as privates, half horse and half chicken meat. I think that many people in Germany today know who will get the horse meat and who the fowl.

Only the exiles are permitted to state facts. They are the voice of their mute, broken people before the would. They are not simply fugitives. I insist that with them is all that is great and fine in Germany.