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"