Sudeten Germans welcome Nazis & Wehrmacht

After the Munich Agreement on September 30th, the already mobilized German Army began moving into the country. One of the first towns taken has been Eger, the site of much fighting in late September between Czechoslovakian troops and Nazi sympathizers.

The Czech people have much to be sad about. They lose 3.5 million citizens but also has lost 70% of its iron and steel, 70% of its electrical power and the famous Škoda Works. Even the very name of the young state has been changed: Czecho-Slovakia.

President Benes has had the the military print the march orders for his army and put the press on standby for a declaration of war. The nation is not giving in quite as easily as the major European powers would like.

Sudeten Germans have been jubilant and celebratory since the Munich Agreement was announced. Seemingly from nowhere Nazi flags and banners bearing the red, black and white colors and Swastika appeared in windows, on homes, businesses and on streetpoles. Children have notably been excited and have not been in schools since the announcement.

Two days ago Hitler marched unopposed into the Sudetenland. He said that it was the start of a 1000-year German Reich.

Polish troops continue to occupy Teschen as well.

Military Guard adds to Olympic pageantry

There are three companies of the military guards marching around the Berlin streets daily during the Olympics. Normally, only Field Marshal Werner von Blomberg, as War Minister, rates a guard company for his military. It stages a parade with bands daily when the guards change.

But the procession down Unter den Linden has proved such an attraction to the crowd that two more guard changes now are put on for the satisfaction of the Olympic visitors.

The second of the three companies is a guard for the headquarters of the Berlin command which is at the foor of the Unter den Linden opposite the old imperial palace. The third id Colonel-General Hermann Göring's own gray-coated company for the Air Ministry, called the Luftwaffe here.

To see not only little boys but their daddies, rotund, solid burghers, all marching alongside the soldiers is to gain a little understanding of the Third Reich.

New Laws in Germany

Immediately after the death of President Hindenburg, new laws which took effect with his passing were announced. The edict states:

The Reich Government has enacted the following law which is hereby promulgated.
Section 1. The office of Reich President will be combined with that of Reich Chancellor. The existing authority of the Reich President will consequently be transferred to the Führer and Reich Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. He will select his deputy.
Section 2. This law is effective as of the time of the death of Reich President von Hindenburg.

The same day, members of the Heer, the German Army, were required to take an oath of allegiance to Hitler himself, not the German state or an office. The oath reads:

"I swear by God this sacred oath: I will render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the German Reich and people, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and will be ready as a brave soldier to risk my life at any time for this oath."

It is unclear of the constitutionality of the laws at this time. Hindenburg's state funeral is set for August 7th.