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Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression Volume IV
Document No. 2288-PS

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PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 2288-PS

ADOLF HITLER'S GREAT SPEECH BEFORE THE REICHSTAG.

Berlin, 21 May 1935

Voelkischer Beobachter, Southern Germany Special Edition No. 142 a. of 22 May 1935. [Pages 1, 3, 4] Deputies! Members of the German Reichstag!

Leaving these general conclusions now and arriving at a precise fixation of the present current problems for me the Position of the German Reich Government results as follows:

Position of the German Reich Government results as follows:

1. The German Reich Government refuses to adhere to the Geneva Resolutions of 17 March.

The treaty of Versailles was not broken by Germany unilaterally, but the well known paragraphs of the dictate of Versailles were violated and consequently invalidated by those Powers who could not make up their mind to follow the disarmament requested of Germany with their own disarmament as agreed upon by the treaty.

2. Because the other powers did not live up to their obligations under the disarmament program, the Government of the German Reich no longer considers itself bound to those articles which are nothing but a discrimination against the German Nation for an unlimited period of time, since through them Germany is being nailed down in a unilateral manner, contrary to a the spirit of the agreement.

But it solemnly declares that this measure is being taken only with regard to those well known paragraphs which are discriminating against the German people in a moral and factual way.

Therefore, the Government of the German Reich shall absolutely respect all other articles pertaining to the cooperation [Zusammenleben] of the various nations including territorial agreements; revision which will be unavoidable as time goes by, it will carry out by way of a friendly understanding only.

3. The Government of the German Reich has the intention not to sign any treaty which it believes not to be able to fulfill. However, it will live up to every treaty signed voluntarily even if it was composed before this Government took over. Therefore, it will in particular adhere to all the allegations under the Locarno pact as long as the other partners of the pact also adhere to it.

The Government of the German Reich regards the fact that it has to respect the demilitarized zone, as an extremely difficult contribution by a sovereign power, to the pacification, and it believes to be compelled to call attention to the fact that the constant increase in the number of troops on the other side may not just be regarded to be of great comfort to these efforts.

Source:
Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression Volume IV
Office of the United States Chief Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality
Washington, DC : United States Government Printing Office, 1946

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