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

680 DER FUEHRERthe Four-Power Pact, that, in the opinion of the French govern ment,German propaganda with regard to Austria was not compatible incertain recent instances with existing contractual obligations. Theambassador was informed that the Reich government did not considerappropriate the application of the Four-Power Pact in this form; that nocontractual infringements of any kind had taken place on the part ofGermany; Germany, therefore, did not regard this interference inGerman-Austrian affairs as permissible. The English charge d'affaires,who appeared in the same matter in the afternoon, received the sameanswer.This was possibly the most unfriendly diplomatic communique whichGermany had permitted herself since 1919 in her dealings with thevictor powers. The western powers accepted the diplomatic defeat anddid not repeat their step; they consoled themselves by stating in theirpress that, after all, Hitler had promised the Italians to respect theindependence of Austria. Thereupon a new statement from Berlin(August 19), semi-official and even ruder: nothing whatever had beenpromised to France and England; certainly Germany had carried onfriendly conversations with Italy, but these conversations were noconcern of France and England; their protest had been and remainedrejected.On the day when the Italian ambassador had so amiably discussedAustria with Neurath, the Free City of Danzig and the Republic ofPoland signed a treaty regarding their future relations. Negotiated byJosef Beck, the Polish Foreign Minister, and Hermann Rauschning,President of the Danzig Senate, it was the first formal peace pactbetween Poland and National Socialism. Up till then Danzig, withinstriking distance of Polish military power, had been guaranteed by theLeague of Nations against any possible Polish attack, and for thispurpose a High Commissioner of the League Jived in the Free City.Now the Danzig National Socialists renounced the protection ofGeneva; Danzig and Poland agreed to setde all disputes amongthemselves and to cease presenting them to the League.This was the new German line. Peace with individual neighbors —yes; peace with the whole world, as represented by the League — no!