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‘drive Nazi Butcher Out, Master of Torture,’ Greets Herr ‘putzy’

June 19, 1934
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Anti-Nazi factions of this city today unleashed their first vigorous protest against the presence of Dr. Ernst F. S. Hanfstaengl, Hitler’s pianopummeling aide, who yesterday slipped into the Hub to participate in the twenty-fifth reunion of his Harvard class of 1909.

Overnight, scores of posters, printed in big, black type, sprouted all over the Harvard campus bitterly assailing the Nazi visitor.

“Drive the Nazi butcher out!” the posters screamed.

“Give him a degree. Make him Master of Torture,” other ironically urged, referring to the recent suggestion of the Harvard Crimson, student daily, that the lists of honorary degrees to be conferred by the university be reopened to include the Hitler lieutenant.

The discovery of the posters, which were pasted up all over the Harvard yard, most of them over the notices of the class of ’09 reunion, shocked authorities and created a furor throughout Cambridge. The posters were signed by the Boston Committee to Aid the Victims of German Fascism, which has been active in protests prior to Hanfstaengl’s arrival.

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