Hitler's Table Talk

2O8
FUEHRER MUST HAVE NO FAVOURITES
where the children can play freely and still be under supervision.
It's no longer possible to leave them on the road. When
they're all together, it's easier to make social beings of them.
At Regensburg I saw a settlement teeming with children. In
Germany, likewise, the birthrate is rising.
109 Night of 15th-16th January 1942
Nowhere without influence in old Austria—Corruption in
the old days—A woman of genius—The Arts must be
protected.
In the old Austria, nothing could be done without patronage.
That's partly explained by the fact that nine million Germans
were in fact rulers, in virtue of an unwritten law, of fifty
million non-Germans. This German ruling class took strict
care that places should always be found for Germans. For them
this was the only method of maintaining themselves in this
privileged situation. The Baits of German origin behaved in
the same way towards the Slav population.
One got absolutely nothing in Austria without letters of
introduction. When I arrived in Vienna, I had one to Roller,
but I didn't use it. If I'd presented myself to him with this
introduction, he'd have engaged me at once. No doubt it's
better that things went otherwise. It's not a bad thing for me
that I had to have a rough time of it.
In the old days there was ten times as much corruption as
to-day. The difference is that one didn't talk about it. When
we condemn a swindler, it's not necessary to take that as an
occasion for loud shouts. We haven't any endemic disease, only
particular cases.
I'm convinced of the necessity of the Fuehrer's not having
protégés and not admitting any system of favouritism around
him. I myself have never had recourse to it. I owe it to my
job to be absolutely deaf in that respect. Otherwise where
would we go?
I'll take a case, for example, in which I might spontaneously
have the intention of doing something for someone. It would be
sufficient for one of the people near to me to propose something
similar, and I'd be obliged to give up my idea, for people might