Axis Sally: The American Voice of Nazi Germany (43 page)

To Whom It May Concern,

It is more than humanly possible to continue any longer this bitter agony of bringing into this poor, deluded world another unwelcome child. The few who may give my sorry act any thought at all will probably think only in a conventional way, saying, ‘What a weak thing she must have been.’ Who will ever have the perception to realize that I am taking this step because I have an intelligence and soul that are sensitized to the nth degree?

What have all our great reformers and philosophers ever done to bring serene harmony to the universe? Nothing. We cringe with horror when we contemplate ruthless destruction – wars and murders. We wish stupidly for human peace but make no effort to achieve it. If it were actually possible to estimate the percentage of really welcome children, what would it be? Good God – probably not more than one percent. And yet I am supposed to bring this poor soul into what Milton called ‘a vale of woe.’

Ah, my dear, dear Charles, if you ever hear of my fate – remember that there was nothing else left for me. I know so bitterly the awful loneliness of a child’s life without parental love. I have visualized completely the arrival of this baby of ours. I have seen myself watching through the years. I know the agony I would suffer each time I would catch that wistful gleam in his eye when he saw another child happy in his father’s love.

It would be a constant misery to see that look in his eyes. All the dreams I have ever had would come back to my heart and stay there like ghosts. I would remember the plans I had cherished of a mate, such as I thought you would be – of dear, delicate souls that I would create and then understand. Create them because I wanted them – because they were welcome.

Tonight in the dining room they played Schubert’s famous Serenade and I remembered the times when I had played it for you. My heart was so heavy. You know, my dear one that the only creed I have is to fill life completely with beauty – never to do an unlovely thing – that is the only sin in life. If only people could see that. Isn’t it strange that life is full of so many ugly impulses for most people?

My darling – life could only hold for me now, an aching, dull bewilderment. You were my absolute complement. I should never get over it, and it would hang like a shadow over my child.

I am leaving, dear soul, on an adventure far greater than your days in the heart of the Orient. I wish I could make a plea to the poor, unseeing people of this world to give and receive only loveliness. The ultimate end comes so swiftly. I want everyone to try to understand my last human act. Perhaps I am the only person in the world’s history to have died for beauty in its most comprehensive meaning.

It is the greatest maternal tenderness I can bestow upon my dear child that I end my life with his that he may not be numbered among the host of unwelcome children.

Barbara Elliott

(Source:
The Evening Courier,
Camden NJ, October 19, 1928, p. 28
)

MIDGE AT THE MIKE

May 1943

This is Berlin calling. Berlin calling the American mothers, wives and sweethearts. And I’d just like to say, girls, that when Berlin calls it pays to listen. When Berlin calls it pays to listen in because there is an American girl sitting at the microphone every Tuesday evening at the same time with a few words of truth to her countrywomen back home. Girls, you all know, of course, by now that it’s a very serious situation and there must be some reason for my being here in Berlin, some reason why I’m not sitting at home with you at the little sewing bees knitting socks for our men in French North Africa.

Yes, girls, there is a reason and it is this: it’s because I am not on the side of Roosevelt and his Jewish friends and his British friends; because I’ve been brought up to be a 100 per cent American girl: conscious of everything American, conscious of her friends, conscious of her enemies. And the enemies are precisely those people who are fighting against Germany today and in case you don’t know it, indirectly against America too, because a defeat for Germany would mean a defeat for America. Believe me, it would be the very beginning of the end of America and all of her civilization and that’s why girls, I’m staying over here and having these little heart-to-heart talks with you once a week. I know they’re awfully short and there’s not much one can say, but at least I’m so convinced that it’s the truth and I’m sure the truth will win. And besides that, you know I’m in constant touch with your men over here interned in Germany as prisoners of war and I’m sure you’ll be very happy to get some news of them from time to time. And I’ll do my best to transmit that to you just as often as I can.

And now girls, just last week in speaking to one American boy, he told us then about the films which he had seen in America - films which dealt with the barbarism of Germany, and of the treatment which she deals out to American prisoners and all of that sort of thing. He said he realizes today that that’s only Jewish propaganda, that whereas he was told at home, before donning the American uniform, that he would be beaten and knocked around by the Germans if he ever got into a prisoner of war camp. That has not been the case. He’s never been beaten. He’s only had the most ideal treatment, and even said ‘I can only say to you that I’m happy here in this German prisoner-of-war camp’ and receives just the same treatment that the Germans also receive, and said, ‘well, that was just Jewish propaganda. I realize it now. I did not realize it when I was at home, but I’d just like to say that today I have my own opinion.’ Well, girls, and one day you’re going to have your own opinion too. The only thing I’m afraid of is that perhaps it will be too late. And that’s why I’m just going to put all the energy I can into these few moments I have with you each week and try to get you to see the light of day and to let you realize that you’re on the wrong side of the fence.”

Gee, girls, isn’t it a darn shame; all the sweet old American summer atmosphere which the boys are missing now. Just imagine sitting out on the old back porch in a sweet old rocking chair listening to the birds at twilight. Instead of that, the boys are over there in the hot, sunny desert longing for home and for what? Fighting for our friends? Well, well, well, since when are the British our friends? Now, girls, come on, be honest. As one American to another, do you love the British? Why, of course the answer is ‘no’. Do the British love us? Well, I should say not! But we are fighting for them. We are shedding our good young blood for this ‘kike’ war, for this British war. Oh, girls, why don’t you wake up? I mean, after all, the women can do something, can’t they? Have you tried to realize where the situation’s leading us to? Because it is the downfall of civilization if it goes on like that. After all, let God save the King. If he’s worthy of it, I’m sure God can. At least there’s no reason for we Americans to get mixed up in British messes.

Well, girls, you can put American uniforms on our boys; you can put a rifle in their hands; you can send them across with orders to destroy Germany; to bombard the women and children; to fight side by side with the British soldiers and, as the old homily adage goes, ‘You can bring a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.’ And you can force the American soldiers to fight side by side with the British soldiers, but you can never bring understanding between the Americans and the British. Thank God, and I hope it never will happen. But I don’t have to hope because it never will. But the basis for a healthy, sane friendship and understanding always has been and always will be there between Germany and America, and that’s the thing I’m going to fight for. And I say, damn Roosevelt, damn Churchill and damn all of their Jews who have made this war possible. And I as an American girl will stay over here on this side of the fence, on Germany’s side because it is the right side, as I’ve told you many, many times before.”

(Source: Appellate Brief, United States v. Mildred E. Gillars (Sisk), December 1949, US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Washington DC: National Archives)

HOME SWEET HOME

June 24, 1943

(Mildred Gillars as
MIDGE,
Frederick W. Kaltenbach as
FRED
, Max Otto Koischwitz as
FRITZ)

MIDGE: I never let myself get roped into Mr. Churchill and Mr. Roosevelt’s war business. We Americans don’t have to bother about it. Well, folks, because life is really so sad and I’d like to cheer you up a little bit, because I’m pretty sure you’re down in the dumps over there. Well, we’re going to have a half and hour of nonsense, just as silly as can be, because the sillier the better. Don’t you think so, kids…?

FRED: Well, I see you here at the microphone.

FRITZ: And listen to you.

FRED: It’s really touching the way you entertain those boys in Africa

MIDGE: Ah, sweet of you, Fred.

FRED: Well, there’s so much feeling in what you say, and in how you say it. Sometimes it makes a man’s heart…

MIDGE: Yes, I know and I feel it myself. I’m sure the boys in Africa would like to express their appreciation if there only was a way to show it to you.

FRITZ: Yes, how those boys would like to touch you?

MIDGE: I beg your pardon.

FRITZ: I mean, just as you’re touching them.

MIDGE: Oh, that’s just fine.

FRITZ: You see, they can hear you, but you can’t hear them, and yet you’ve got so many admirers among them.

MIDGE: Really, how do you know?

FRITZ: I happen to know, because well, you know, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the boys have actually fallen in love with you… I mean with your voice. As I was just saying, I’ve proof of it right here in my pocket. One of the boys actually managed to get a kind of fan letter from Africa to Berlin for you.

MIDGE: No, Fritz.

FRITZ: And mailed from Africa, just imagine from the A.E.F…. It reached its destination finally. You see, the true admirer, the lover, always finds ways and means to get a letter to the girls in wartime through all the offices of military censors

MIDGE: Let me see the letter.

FRITZ: Of course. Now don’t get impassionate. I mean impatient.

MIDGE: Well, now, listen Fritz, the letter was meant for me.

FRITZ: Well, there weren’t any secrets in it. You see, he couldn’t write any secrets in letters that have to pass now in wartime.

MIDGE: Well, I’m so excited.

FRITZ: A sort of open letter. This admirer of yours who wrote it sent the letter to an American newspaper, see. And the editor of that paper printed it. And then the newspaper was sent to Portugal by clipper. And someone in Lisbon picked it up and forwarded it to this station. That’s the way I got hold of it…. I told you there wasn’t any secret in it. But wait till you hear it.

FRED: You couldn’t read it right now, it’s much too long.

MIDGE: Oh, do tell me what it says, I’m very curious.

FRITZ: No, no, well, it says the boys like your voice.

MIDGE: How sweet of them.

FRITZ: It’s sounds to them like the girl next door, just like back home in the States. And it makes them feel kind of homesick.

MIDGE: Oh, gee, the poor kids.

FRITZ: But they enjoy it so much. And they’d like to know your name.

MIDGE: Oh, I see. What difference would that make? You know, Shakespeare once said: ‘A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet’, remember? I’m not calling myself a rose…

FRED: But if the boys were able to see you. If they could see you, I know you’d be the biggest success on the air.

MIDGE: Well, thanks for the compliment, Fred.

FRED: I don’t want anything. I know it’s a fact.

FRITZ: Yes, our Midge at the mike is the most charming girl that ever sat to a microphone.

FRED: Yes, I know. Would you like to know what she looks like?

FRITZ: Too charming for words.

MIDGE: Oh, now, Fritz, really I’m getting embarrassed.

FRITZ: We’re telling the truth. Now listen, boys. I’ll give you a description of what my eyes see in front of me, right here - a word picture of your announcer. Full of good looks, if that’s possible – you see with your ears. Charm, prettiness, attractiveness: Midge at the mike. I told you boys. Midge at the mike presents a sort of charm. And the figure: very slender, in fact.