Hitler's Table Talk

5OO HINDENBURG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HITLER
determined to go their own way. Gereke, the Commissioner
for Labour, who a little later was arrested and found guilty of
embezzlement, was from the beginning my most persistent
opponent. I was therefore very pleased when Seldte came and
declared that the die was cast, and that in future his party
would do nothing that might hinder my efforts.
Apart from the difficulties inherent in the formation of a
Government, I very quickly realised that the Old Gentleman
had called upon me to accept the Chancellorship only because
he could see no other constitutional way out of the political
impasse. This was obvious from the number of conditions he
imposed. He informed me, for instance, that all questions
connected with the Reichswehr, the Foreign Office and overseas
appointments remained in his hands. He further decided
that von Papen must be present whenever he received me
officially; and it was only after much hesitation and the
intervention of Meissner, that the Old Gentleman was pleased
to sign the order for the dissolution of the Reichstag, which I
had managed to rattle through during the session of
3ist January.
Within a week or so, however, my relations with Hindenburg
began to improve. One day, when he wanted to see me about
something or other, I invited his attention to the custom he
himself had established—namely, that I could not visit him
except in the company of von Papen—and pointed out that
the latter was at the moment away from Berlin. The Old
Gentleman replied that he wished to see me alone, and that in
future the presence of von Papen could be regarded as unnecessary.
Within three weeks we had progressed so far that
his attitude towards me became affectionate and paternal.
Talking of the elections fixed for the 3rd March, he said, "What
are we going to do if you fail to get a majority? We shall have
the same difficulties all over again." When later the first
results of the elections began to come in, our relations had
attained such a degree of frank cordiality, that the Old Gentleman
exclaimed in a voice charged with real satisfaction:
"Hitler wins!" And when the overwhelming victory of the
National Socialists was confirmed, he told me straight out that
he had always been averse to the parliamentary game and was