"Bless Me, Natzi!"

Bright-eyed with hope, the Westenkirchners trooped last week into the Chancellery at Berlin. Surely all Germany, and especially Gentle Adolf knew who they were?

They waited a whole hour. True, Carpenter Ignatz Westenkirchner during the War fought as a private in the squad of onetime Lance Corporal Adolf Hitler. True, when Ignatz and his family were stranded in Reading, Pa. the Chancellor replied to their plea for help by sending enough money to put Ignatz, Ignatz Jr., Frau Westenkirchner and their apple-cheeked daughters aboard the S. S. Hamburg (third class) for Germany (TIME, Jan. 1). But in the bustling Chancellery who was going to tell Adolf about Ignatz? Suddenly to their rescue went tall, brooding Dr. Ernst Hanfstaengl, psychic friend of the Chancellor (TIME, Dec. 25).

"I will seize him!" cried Dr. Hanfstaengl, probably the only man in Germany who thinks nothing of laying hands on Herr Hitler. "We shall wait, and as he goes by I shall seize him!"

The Westenkirchners waited. Abruptly a door opened. Out strode the Chancellor, hatted and coated, dashing for his Mercedes to keep an appointment. With one long stride Dr. Hanfstaengl was at his lapel. Pale with emotion the five Westenkirchners leaped to their feet, arms extended in Nazi salute.

In 30 seconds Ernst had Adolf out of his overcoat. "Bless me, Natzi!" cried the Chancellor, holding out his hand to Carpenter Westenkirchner and calling him by the affectionate German diminutive of Ignatz. "Bless me, Natzi, it is nice to meet again!"

After a brief, cordial chat, Chancellor Adolf made Carpenter Ignatz superintendent of the building in Munich where the chief Nazi newspaper is published. While Ignatz Jr. and Mrs. Westenkirchner burst into sobs of joy, Ignatz shook the Chancellor's hand at parting, then radiantly exclaimed to Dr. Hanfstaengl:

"Things are surely different in Germany now. The lower classes are being raised without permitting the upper classes to be leveled down--which is real Socialism."

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