Devouring World Dragon

Chapter 191 Reunion After Thirty Years

January 30, 1933, Berlin Morning Post (German newspaper).

"...First of all, let us congratulate Adolf Hitler on becoming Chancellor of Germany and look forward to him and his Nazi Party contributing to Germany. However, in the opinion of this newspaper, Germany is currently burdened with heavy post-war debts and the Treaty of Versailles. If Hitler attempts to revitalize Germany's economy, it is hard to imagine what methods he will employ. His chancellorship will certainly not be smooth sailing..."

……

February 2, 1933, Hamburger Morgenpost, Germany.

"It's hard to imagine that just two days after taking office, Chancellor Adolf Hitler would demand the dissolution and reorganization of Reichstag, calling for new elections. What was his purpose? It's understood that the German Workers' Party, currently the largest party, holds 41.9% of the seats in Reichstag, while the second-largest party, the Communist Party of Germany, holds 17%. This means that many of the Chancellor's decisions may not be approved by Reichstag. Is the Chancellor deciding to reshape the political landscape to implement his own policies? Let's wait and see..."

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February 28, 1933, 1:2 AM, the German newspaper Grün Post.

"Breaking news: A fire broke out at the Reichstag building in Berlin 3 hours ago. The cause is currently unknown, and the number of casualties is also unknown."

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February 28, 1933, 1 p.m., Prussian News Agency radio station.

(Chancellor Adolf Hitler): "...Buzz (noise)...The German people, the government has investigated and found out the truth...Buzz...This Reichstag fire was caused by the Communist Party...This act of arson is the most horrific act of terrorism committed by the German Bolsheviks..."

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February 28, 1933, 6 p.m., Hamburger Morgenpost, Germany.

"Because of the Reichstag fire the day before yesterday, Chancellor Adolf Hitler decided to urgently issue the Reichstag Fire Decree, abolishing the clauses in the Weimar Constitution that guaranteed personal freedom. With only three days left before the new elections, we do not yet know what impact this will have, but it makes us very uneasy..."

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March 1, 1933, Leipzig Volkszeitung (German newspaper).

"Shocking! Disappointing! Chancellor Adolf Hitler ordered the Communist Party of Germany to be declared an illegal party, just one day before the election. At this moment, the Nazi Party's SA is arresting people everywhere; their purpose is crystal clear: to force the Communist Party to withdraw from the Reichstag and allow the Nazi Party to completely control it. This is a blatant provocation against the German constitution and democratic electoral system! What a colossal irony—we have elected a dictator as chancellor..."

……

January 2, 1933, Berlin Morning Post (German newspaper).

"...the results of the re-election...the Nazi Party holds 45% of the seats in the Reichstag..."

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March 23, 1933, the Nazi Party newspaper "Volksvänger" (People's Observer).

"Today, the German Enabling Act was promulgated. According to the Act, Chancellor Adolf Hitler and his cabinet can pass any law without the consent of parliament..."

……

On March 24, 1933, Decree No. 1 was promulgated via radio.

"...Buzz...Abolish the state parliaments, making the state governments completely subservient to the central government...Buzz...Except for the sole political party, the German Workers' Party, and its affiliated groups, all other political parties are illegal..."

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June 1934, the German newspaper Grün Post.

"This newspaper is temporarily accepting government rectification and will publish news under the guidance of the Nazi Party. The date for republication is undetermined..."

……

In the spring of 1935, the German newspaper Essen General Report published an article on this topic.

"The Prime Minister ordered the expansion of the armed forces from 10 to 30, which displeased Britain and France because it was a blatant violation of the Treaty of Versailles. But shouldn't a country's efforts to protect its own territory and people be taken for granted? The claims of Britain and France are completely unreasonable..."

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March 7, 1936, Le International, France.

"Germany's entry into the Rhineland demilitarized zone is a serious violation of the Treaty of Versailles. What is the real meaning behind this?"

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In 1938, the German newspaper Mainz reported.

"Five years have passed since the Führer became Chancellor. In 1933, Germany had six million unemployed, with an unemployment rate as high as 20%. Now, the number of unemployed in Germany has dropped from six million to tens of thousands, and many places are even experiencing labor shortages, essentially solving the problem of full employment; the annual economic growth rate exceeds 10%, and in 1933, the Gross National Product (GNP) was approximately 737 billion Reichsmarks. Calculated at constant prices, today in 1938, Germany's GNP has reached 1264 billion Reichsmarks. This is a great achievement. Congratulations to our great Führer..."

……

March 11, 1938, the German newspaper Grün Post.

"Great Führer, our extraordinary leader. Today, Austria and Germany are united. As the Führer's motorcade enters Vienna, the citizens of Vienna cheer for him, and young girls throw flowers at him. The motorcade is laden with flowers of peace. Let us celebrate this great moment. Under the rule of our great Führer, the Germanic people will finally be united..."

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November 2, 1938, Volkssür Observer, the official newspaper of the Nazi Party of Germany.

"Jews, parasites clinging to the peoples of Europe! They do not produce anything, but amass wealth through deception and cunning. They wander from one country to another, greedily accumulating riches when nations are at peace; when nations are engulfed in war, they flee far away, even seizing the opportunity to make a fortune. They have no concept of nationhood, and are unwilling to serve their country. They are a group of termites, a group of poisonous insects polluting Europe..."

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January 10, 1938, Berlin Morning Post (German newspaper).

"Following Kristallnacht yesterday, on the Führer's orders, large numbers of Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps in Dachau, Buchenwald, and Sachsenhausen. It is reported that over 3 Jews will be subjected to rigorous re-education by the government in these camps to remove their bad habits..."

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March 1939, The Times of London.

"Hitler annexed Austria and occupied the whole of Czechoslovakia, but where was his next target? At this moment, Germany had nearly doubled its territory almost without bloodshed, and the Versailles Agreement was practically meaningless, making one wonder who the real victor of the war was. Chancellor Chamberlain once said after the Munich Agreement, 'He brought peace to an entire generation,' but where exactly was that peace? This raises serious questions..."

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February 8, 1939, Hamburger Morgenpost, Germany.

"The Soviet Union and Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a great victory! Germany no longer needs to worry about fighting on two fronts, and the humiliation of the past can be washed away. Long live the Führer!"

……

The humiliation of defeat, the resentment of being betrayed by one's own people, the hatred for Jews, the heavy burden of the Treaty of Versailles, the intense desire for the revival of Germany… all these things converged in one man. One man's heart resonated with the hearts of millions. Not everyone desires war, but when all the pressure becomes unbearable, the people are more willing to resist.

On September 1, 1939, Hitler announced to Germany that it had been invaded by Poland, and Germany was forced to retaliate. Subsequently, Britain and France declared war on Germany, and World War II broke out in full force.

However, the war progressed far beyond everyone's expectations, proceeding unexpectedly smoothly.

Relying on its innovative blitzkrieg tactics and combined arms warfare, Germany declared war on France a few months later. By forcibly occupying Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, and other Low Countries, Germany easily bypassed the "Macedonian Line," which the French had built at great expense.

Then, a powerful right hook landed on the unsuspecting Frenchman...

"boom!"

Just six weeks, just one sharp right hook.

During World War I, France, which seemed invincible and had taken three years to conquer, was defeated by Nazi Germany. After this war, Germany occupied almost half of Europe.

In an instant, Europe was shaken, the world was shaken, and a new Napoleon seemed to have been born.

……

On December 7, 1939, Adolf Hitler made a detour to Linz on his way to Italy. Linz was his hometown and the starting point of his dreams.

The Vysinger Hotel, where he was staying, was now bustling like a beehive. There were groups of generals and officers discussing national affairs, ministers who had appeared in newspaper illustrations, high-ranking Nazi Party leaders, and some senior officers in uniform. Many busy adjutants were running around the lobby, their gleaming epaulets clearly visible.

Surrounded by numerous political figures, Hitler felt only inexplicable irritation.

He was weary of these sycophantic generals and officials. Now he reigned supreme over all of Europe, and elsewhere he could be an “extraordinary leader” or a “great head of state”, but in his homeland, he only wanted to quietly enjoy the peace and tranquility of the past.

However, all of this was simply impossible; he could not be allowed to be alone, as it was far too unsafe. His movements were severely restricted except in necessary locations to prevent potential assassination attempts.

For some inexplicable reason, as if triggered by the scene, a figure appeared in his mind...

"Gustav".

Gustav, that was his nickname for Kubizik, because his deceased brother was also named Gustav.

That old friend, who was musically talented and aspired to be a musician, was like a brother to Adolf. In Adolf's mind, he was probably already the conductor of a large orchestra by now.

Adolf understood his friend's musical talent. He was a very talented musician, though not as good as some of the famous musicians he later met, but he still showed signs of being a master. He was by no means an unknown person, but where was he at this moment?

A strange sense of loss welled up inside me.

Stepping out of the hotel, he was greeted by a large crowd of people who had come to welcome him. Unconsciously, he glanced around, and among the many figures, he was astonished to see a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar…

His calm face and thoughtful demeanor, though much older, undeniably belonged to the person he once knew.

"Gustav!"

Excitedly, Adolf strode forward, his guards quickly following to prevent a possible attack.

Standing before Adolf, he could see the excitement and barely contained emotion on Kubizik's face. Adolf gripped Kubizik's right hand tightly, staring intently at his friend across from him, his voice unusually trembling.

The distinguished guests in the hall looked at each other in bewilderment; none of them knew who this strange civil servant, who was being so warmly received by the head of state, was.

They parted in 1908 and reunited in 1939, having not seen each other for a full thirty years.

When they parted ways, they were each other's only friend, both full of vigor and youthful good looks. Now, however, they both look old, with wrinkles that are hard to hide on their faces.

Kubishik, sitting opposite him, was visibly excited. He held Adolf's hand, opened his mouth as if trying to say something, and finally spoke.

"Your Excellency, it's been thirty years since we last met..."

Your Excellency...you...

The way others addressed him caused his joy to falter, and it also served as a wake-up call for Adolf. Yes, neither of them were the down-on-their-luck young men who had studied in Vienna.

Even so, the joy of reuniting with old friends still filled Adolf's heart.

He carefully looked up and down at his old friend, a barely suppressed smile on his face. A multitude of emotions welled up in his mouth, but his lips, which could have stirred the entire nation, could not utter a word. He could only nod at his friend.

"You come with me."

Adolf calmed himself down slightly and then said, "In this public setting, any overly intimate words would be inappropriate."

The two went upstairs together. The adjutant opened the door to the room and left, leaving them some time alone. The two old friends looked at each other, and Adolf grasped his friend's hand again, gazing at him for a long time before speaking with emotion.

“You are still the same Gustav. I can recognize you at a glance, no matter where you are. You haven’t changed at all, you’ve just gotten a little older.”

As he spoke, Adolf led his friend to sit down at the table. After a brief moment of awkwardness, the estrangement between them disappeared, and they began to chat as freely as ever.

“I no longer have the same private life as before. I can’t do what I want like other people do.”

He couldn't help but complain to his friend.

He would almost never say this to anyone else, because he was the “great leader,” but only with this friend of his could he relax like never before.

During the conversation, Adolf gradually understood how Kubishik had gotten there.

Before 1933, he did not know the whereabouts of his friend until one day he saw a poster outside the store with a picture of his friend with a mustache and a line of text next to it.

“Adolf Hitler, the famous National Socialist orator.”

It was only then that he realized that Adolf, whom everyone often talked about, was actually his friend. However, he did not go to his friend because he did not want his friend to think that he was a sycophant. It was not until Adolf happened to come to Linz this year that he tried to find his friend.

"You're still as stubborn as ever. You should have come to me a long time ago."

Upon hearing Kubisik's words, Adolf said with dissatisfaction.

Just as Adolf was sizing up his friend, Kubizik was also sizing up Adolf.

His cold, stern face and bright, sharp eyes still shone brightly. Even though he held a high position and thirty years had passed, Kubizik could still be seen as the arrogant and proud young man he once was.

"You haven't changed either."

Kubizik remarked sincerely.

(End of this chapter)