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The German Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Schulenburg) to the German Foreign Ministry
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No. 617

1907/429349

FEBRUARY 7, 1938.
Telegram
No. 33 of February 7
(A 205/38)

After the Soviet press had confined itself on Sunday to printing without comment foreign press opinions regarding changes of organization and personnel in the Reich Government, the following views were published today in a Pravda article prepared for home consumption:

The political crisis in Germany traces back to June 30, 1934. Among the generals the conviction has constantly grown that the entire economic policy and foreign policy must be changed. The army has abandoned the role of observer. Colonel General von Fritsch has been opposed to the accelerated expansion of the German Army demanded by the Fuhrer. The mood of opposition in the army has apparently increased to such an extent that the Fuhrer has considered the retention of Fritsch and the generals supporting him as dangerous.

The appointment of Ribbentrop, amounts to the complete "Hitlerization" of the Foreign Ministry. The appointment of-military men as chiefs in the Economic Ministry serves to speed up the prepara-tion of German industry for the "great war." The resignation of "moderates" like Schacht, Neurath, and sober-minded generals is evidence that the Fascist dictatorship is seeking a way out by stepping up war preparations. Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop, is an ad-vocate ot a strong anti-British and pro-Japanese course. The uneasiness in London is therefore understandable.

SCHULENBURG

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