The Rise of the Third Reich

When flames rose over the Reichstag, Hersmann was sitting at the presidential palace at 73 Wilhelmstrasse, not too far away. His classmate in Grosshillifeld, Colonel Kurt von Tipelskich, who was very handsome and very popular with girls when he was young, led a whole regiment of soldiers to the Presidential Palace. and the nearby Chancellery (77 Wilhelmstrasse) were on alert.

Colonel Tipelskich was also a figure from the Military Intelligence Bureau system. He had a very close relationship with Hersmann and was considered the backbone of the "Hersmann Gang". When the compulsory military service was restored, he was promoted to colonel and sent to command an elite infantry regiment at the Zosen Barracks.

This was part of Schleicher and Herschmann's "conspiracy." Taking advantage of the opportunity of presiding over the expansion of the army, they placed many of their confidants in key positions. The garrisons around Berlin are even more firmly controlled by them!

A few hours before the Reichstag fire broke out, Colonel Tipelskich was ordered to lead his team to "pass" through urban Berlin with all heavy weapons - nominally a night marching exercise - and then again Was temporarily deployed to protect the Presidential Palace and the Prime Minister's Office. In fact, at the first opportunity, the center of power in Germany and President Hindenburg, who was powerful but had dementia, were under control.

If Hitler and the Nazi Party were prepared to use the chaos caused by the "Reichstag Fire" to attack the Juncker Group and cause a Night of Long Knives. Then Schleicher and Hersmann would immediately launch a coup - although this would have irreparable consequences and even make Germany lose the ability to launch World War II, Hersmann was still determined to smash the plate.

Because he knew what kind of disaster Germany would suffer because of his misdeeds after allowing Hitler to establish a personal dictatorship.

"Lieutenant General," President Hindenburg's son Oscar von Hindenburg quickly walked up behind Hessmann, who was watching the distant fire on the balcony of the presidential palace, holding a folder in his hand. "Here's what you want...a repeal of the emergency statutes guaranteeing personal liberty in the Constitution!"

Today's Germany is a country that respects laws. Even if the Nazi Party-Juncker Group wants to rule, it must "according to the law." This is why Hersman strongly advocates cooperation with the Nazi Party.

Because only Junkers plus Nazis can get a majority in parliament. The majority in parliament, the power of the Nazi party at the grassroots level, and the force of Junckers can firmly control Germany. Otherwise, the Juncker group will at best establish a very unstable oligarchy and must devote most of its energy to internal suppression.

As for internal repression, assassinations and kidnappings by Stasi agents alone will not solve the problem. After all, the Stasi is a military intelligence department, and it cannot do whatever it wants in spy activities involving German internal politics, otherwise it will become a public enemy in politics.

Therefore, when Stasi agents are dispatched on a large scale, they must also comply with the Weimar Constitution. According to this constitution, the president has the power to issue an order to temporarily suspend the implementation of the provisions of the constitution protecting personal freedom when the country is in a state of emergency.

What Oscar von Hindenburg got for Hersmann now was a presidential decree signed by his father, President Hindenburg, to stop protecting citizens’ personal freedoms.

"Thank you, Oscar, you have been of great help this time." Hersman took the folder handed over by Oscar von Hindenburg with both hands and said thanks.

"Haha, this is what I should do," Oskar von Hindenburg laughed, "You and Kurt want my help, how can I refuse? We are all our own people."

Of course I can’t refuse! Hersmann obtained 2,000 hectares of land in Hanover State for Oscar von Hindenburg, and also gave him shares of a large German company worth 1 million marks - all money from the "Hersmann Fund".

The Economic Promotion Corporation, which had a monopoly on the Soviet-German barter trade, had made a lot of money over the years. While paying most of the expenses of the Stasi agency, it also saved hundreds of millions of marks in secret funds, which were used to establish the "Hersmann Special Fund." This "special fund" is under Hersman's personal control and is mainly used by him to bribe politicians and provide "special benefits" to his subordinates. Everyone in the "Hirschmann Gang" received large sums of cash or other prizes from their boss, Hirschmann.

"Friedrich," Hessmann opened the folder, checked it, and then called his adjutant Paulus to his side, and then took out an order signed by Hindenburg (there were two copies of the order, one in total) (one copy for the Chancellery and one for the General Staff) and "take it to the Chancellery and give it to Minister Schleicher."

Immediately after the Reichstag was burned, Hitler convened an emergency cabinet meeting. Schleicher was the Minister of Defense and was currently attending the meeting at the Chancellery at 73 Wilhelm Street. In fact, he was waiting for the order signed by Hindenburg.

Once the order is obtained, Hitler can issue an order to ban the Bolshevik Party, and then send military police and stormtroopers to seal down Bolshevik party headquarters in various places and arrest Bolshevik party members.

…

"Quick, quick, burn the files, burn them all!"

In the office of the Third International in Berlin, black smoke was billowing from the fireplace chimney at this time - it was burning documents and telegrams! This office is semi-public and there is no sign to raise a red flag, but politicians in Berlin know where it is.

Therefore, once the enemy raises his "butcher's knife", he will not be able to find a target to attack. After the fire in the Reichstag, many underground workers of the Third International lurking in Berlin made "code phone calls" to the Office of the Third International, reporting that a large number of Wehrmacht soldiers (including the Armed SS) had entered Berlin. information.

These Wehrmacht and SS troops were definitely not here to save the fire in the Capitol Building, they were definitely here to arrest people! To capture the Bolsheviks, they might even target the Berlin office of the Third International.

Moreover, the secret posts placed around the Third International office have just reported that the surrounding roads were blocked by military police and spies.

It's obvious that the enemy will be coming to arrest you soon!

Natalie Leshinskaya was standing at the window at this time, looking at the empty streets illuminated by the moonlight and street lights. She guessed that Hersman did not want to break up with the Soviet Union. Therefore, his secret agents and military police must be waiting for Dimitrov's people to destroy all the evidence that should be destroyed, and then rush in to arrest people.

This shows that there is no danger to himself and his comrades from the Third International...at least there will not be any danger in Germany.

But what about after being released to the Soviet Union? People like me probably have to go directly to "Solovsky" for labor reform, right?

Just when Natalie was thinking wildly, the military police from the brigade had already rushed downstairs to the representative office of the Third International...

"I am Congressman Thalmann. I am protected by the Constitution. What power do you have to arrest me?"

At the same moment, Ernst Thälmann had just returned to his home. Before he could call his comrades and invite them to come for a meeting, Stasi agents broke in and took Thälmann away. The bodyguards were knocked to the ground and the leader of the Bolshevik Party himself was surrounded.

"I am Ernst Thalmann! Do you know what you are doing?" Thalmann asked in an angry voice.

He had thought that the enemy might raise a butcher's knife, but his status as a member of Congress and the rule of law and democracy of the Weimar Republic over the years still gave him a false sense of security.

"Mr. Thälmann," a Stasi officer with a gun pointed at Thälmann said to him with a smile, "we are here to arrest you! Because your people set fire to the Reichstag and attempted to riot. Overthrowing the legitimate government has endangered national security. According to Article 48 of the Constitution, the President issued a decree to suspend the provisions of the Constitution that protect personal freedom. The Cabinet also made a decision to ban the German Bolshevik Party... You November sinner, now. I want to arrest you, and if you want to resist, then I won’t let you go!”

"No, I will cherish my life," Thalmann said with a sneer, "not because I am afraid of death, but because I want to expose the conspiracy of fascists like Hitler, Schleicher and Hessmann in court! They don't They will succeed for too long, and the German people will soon see their true colors!”

…

Here at the Third International Office, people are also being arrested. However, the scene was much more peaceful, and Soviet-German cooperation continued. Both the Soviet Union and Germany needed each other very much. Banning the German Bolshevik Party was a necessary means to implement Hitler's New Deal, and there was no need to break up with the Soviet Union.

Sending people to seal down the offices of the Third International in Germany was done completely casually - in the eyes of Hitler and Hersmann, the Third International was a tool used by the Soviet government to disrupt foreign countries, and it could drive nature away from Germany. it's the best.

However, the goodwill cannot be damaged by expelling and expelling him. Hessmann is not willing to come to the farce of "trial" Dimitrov like the one in history. People like Dimitrov will not be allowed to come unless they are given to him. Be ruthless, otherwise you won't be scared at all. If you have to go to court to argue, aren't you asking for trouble? An old socialist in 1902, who should he be afraid of?

Therefore, I gave an order to Lieutenant Colonel Stockhouse, who led the arrest team, to "protect" the friends of the Third International "politely". In addition, Natalie Lesinskaya must be detained incommunicado - in the Kaiserhof Hotel.

"Ms. Leshinskaya," Stockhausen saw Natalie and immediately went up to shake her hand with a smile, "Today's scene is really embarrassing, but I promise you, we won't Harm anyone...the current measures are just to implement the New Deal.”