Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

152 DER FUEHRERpossible hidden by his escort. When he entered a meeting hall, he darteddown the aisle of yelling supporters often with his coat collar turnedhigh; and on the speaker's platform in the hard light of the gas lamps hewas a lank figure, gesticulating in his shabby black business suit, hardlyrecognizable from below. Disfigured for about a year by a pointedbeard, his face then in no way suggested the mask that was later tobecome famous. Photographs of him were not to be seen anywhere.Once when Heinrich Hoffmann, the photographer, snapped Hitler ashe was entering his car, two strong men rushed at the surprisedphotographer and seized his camera. Hitler approached, polite andembarrassed, and requested Herr Hoffmann not to publish the picture —Herr Hoffmann did not publish it.Hitler was afraid of being recognized, convinced that a murdererlurked at every corner. Anyone who recognized the inconspicuousfigure in the yellow trench coat and stared for so much as a momentwould receive a glance, burning with hatred, suspicion, and rage. Hitlerwas afraid of his fame.How many victims had he delivered to the muzzles of the firingsquads! He knew more about all the murders in the woods and inspeeding automobiles at night than any state's attorney ever dared tofind out. He wanted lamp-posts full of corpses, and promised to sendheads rolling from the scaffold. Through Rudolf Hess, his friend andadmirer, he had his own supporters spied upon, their weak and darkpoints marked down on index cards. At the head of a few hundredfollowers, he had fallen upon little provincial towns and chased politicalenemies or unfortunate Jews through the streets. But in between theseadventures, he went his ways unknown; a little man, casting a giantshadow on the sky.The minister had sent for this man. Hitler knew he was going to seehis enemy; the minister was Doctor Franz Schweyer, who six monthsbefore had wanted to deport him to Austria. Nevertheless he went; itisn't every day that a minister asks you to call, and he knew that theinvitation was a sign of respect and fear; fear of the man whom virtuallyno one knew and who aroused the curiosity of millions. The minister forhis part knew that the captains and majors in the Reichswehr wereconstantly playing with plans for a