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

THE UNHAPPIEST OF ALL MEN 385the uncle and lover gave himself completely away; it expressed feelingswhich could be expected from a man with masochistic-coprophilinclinations, bordering on what Havelock Ellis calls 'undinism.' (Whowishes to do so may find some samples in this author's Psychology ofSex, 1936 edition, vol. III, pp. 56/57 and 60/61.) The letter probablywould have been repulsive to Geli if she had received it. But she neverdid. Hitler left the letter lying around, and it fell into the hands of hislandlady's son, a certain Doctor Rudolph; perhaps this was one of thereasons for Hitler's change of lodgings. The letter was in no way suitedfor publication; it was bound to debase Hitler and make him ridiculousin the eyes of anyone who might see it. For some reason Hitler seems tohave feared that it was Rudolph's intention to make it public.With the help of a remarkable human instrument, Hitler was savedfrom disgrace. In Munich lived a dwarf-like eccentric named J. F. M.Rehse, who for years collected so-called political documents with analmost pathological ardor. Rehse, the son of an officer, was aphotographer by profession, but he had given up his trade and lived onlyfor his collector's frenzy. In his extremely modest quarters he collectedall the official decrees, political posters and leaflets he could lay handson; at night he crept to the public billboards, tore down posters, andtook them home. In the course of the years he had collected such a massof paper that the floor of his apartment was beginning to buckle. Rehsewas the type of person who was bound to become a National Socialistas soon as he first heard about it, and so he was among Hitler's earlyacquaintances. He was friend and partner of a strange fellow of a verydifferent sort, but equally a close acquaintance and almost friend ofHitler: Father Bernhard Stempfle. This Stempfle belonged to theCatholic order of Saint Jerome; by profession he was an anti-Semiticjournalist, a political conspirator — all in all, an armed bohemian inpriest's robes.Rehse and Stempfle now were approached by Franz Xaver Schwarz,the party treasurer, who asked them to buy Hitler's letter from Rudolphon the pretext that they must have such a precious document for theircollection. They seemed to have scented the opportunity: in return theydemanded that Hitler assume financial