Hitler's Table Talk

136 NATIONAL SOCIALISTS AT GOBURG
opportunity escape us. I took eight hundred men. Others
were to join us, from Saxony and Thuringia.
At Nuremberg we had our first encounter. Our train, which
was beflagged, was not to the taste of some Jews installed in a
train halted beside ours. Schreck leapt into the midst of them
and started laying about him.
In Coburg station the reception-committee was waiting for us.
Dietrich came hobbling over to me to tell me that he'd made an
agreement with the Trades Unions, by the terms of which we
undertook not to march in ranks, with flags and music in front
of us. I pointed out that he had no authority to give undertakings
in my name, and that I would pay no attention to
them. I ordered the flags and music to go in front, and the procession
was formed. When I appeared, I was greeted by the
unanimous shout of a thousand voices: "Rogues, bandits!" A
real populace! Things were going to warm up.
At once I put myself at the head. We were led, not to the
rifle-range, but to the Hofbräuhaus. Around us was an innumerable
crowd, shouting, howling, threatening. When we
were inside, Dietrich told me that for the present it was impossible
for us to go to our billets. At this moment the gate of
the beer-hall was barricaded by the police. "Good God!" I
exclaimed. A policeman came and told me we were forbidden
to leave the building, since the police declared itself unable to
guarantee our protection. I replied that this protection of theirs
was no concern of mine, that we were capable of protecting
ourselves, and that I ordered him to open the gate. This he did,
but explaining that I was compelling him to bow to force.
I said to myself: "If I see a single one of our fellows flinch,
I'll tear offhis brassard !" Once we were outside, we gave them
such a thrashing that in ten minutes' time the street was cleared.
All our weapons came in useful : our musicians' trumpets came
out of the affray twisted and dented. The Reds were scattered,
and fled in all directions.
We slept on straw. During the night I learnt that a group of
my supporters had been attacked. I sent a few men to the
rescue, and soon afterwards three Reds were brought back to
me—three Reds whose faces were no longer human. It was at