Letter from Hitler to Sven Hedin 1942
The letter of Adolf Hitler is from November 11th 1942
"Dear Doctor Sven von Hedin!
You had the kindness to send me your new book published by F. A. Brockhaus,
Leipzig.
"America in the Battle of the Continents"
with a personal dedication. Thank you very much for the attention you have given
me.
I have already read the book and particularly welcome the fact that you have so
expressly responded to the offers I made to the Poles at the beginning of the
war.
When I think back today to this time, it is all so far away, and it seems so
unreal to me that I am accusing myself of having gone so far with my proposals.
For in this case, once again those people who thought they were doing evil have
done good. If Poland had been prepared to accept the understanding offered by
me, there would not have been a war. In this case, however, Russia could have
completed its armaments to an extent that we only know and are able to measure
today. Five more years of peace, and Europe would simply have been rolled down
by the weight of the Bolshevik war machine. For it is clear that, after the
German-Polish disputes had been settled, the Reich, and above all the National
Socialist movement, would have turned first and foremost to culture and above
all to social issues. Even if we had not directly neglected armament, it would
have remained within limits, which a few years later should have led to a
helpless inferiority vis-à-vis this Asian colossus. The fate of Europe and thus
of a culture several thousand years old would probably have come to an end under
these circumstances.
For even if the man, i.e. the soldier, is primarily waging war, the weapons
given to him are no less decisive.
Bolshevism, however, would have succeeded in allowing a synthesis of millions of
fanatical and brutal fighters with unimaginable armour to roll over the harmless
old Europe.
There is no doubt that the guilty party in this war, as they quite rightly say
at the end of the book, is exclusively American President Roosevelt. By
instigating this war alone, he and his accomplices have undoubtedly woken up the
continent of the most beautiful human culture at the last minute and, with their
eyes wide open, have confronted a danger which probably could not have been
averted just a few years later. I do not doubt for a second that we will beat
this colossus with our allies until it finally breaks.
It is, in any case, my undermining decision not to lay down my arms until Europe
has been finally secured by both East and West, and can thus be regarded as
saved.
Taking this opportunity to convey my best wishes for your health and further
well-being to you, Sven von Hedin, I am very grateful to you, your loyal friend.
Adolf Hitler"