Berlin W. 9, Lennestr 9.
18 July 1934.
Very Esteemed Reich Chancellor,
I hope you have received my letter of yesterday's date, and that you received it in the spirit in which it was intended.
Today I ask you, for personal reasons, to excuse me from participating in the session of the Reichstag. Yesterday you were
D—717
indeed of the opinion that my staying away might create the impression that there was disagreement between us. But this impression can surely not exist, if, during your speech, you refer to the case of the Vice-Chancellery in the form in which you promised me you would.
During all these days I have behaved with the greatest possible reserve towards the outside and have shown myself as little as possible, and you will surely understand my not wanting to appear in public again until every shadow has been removed from me.
I have also asked the chairman of the Party representative in the Reichstag to excuse my staying away.
Yours Very Obediently,
. PAPEN.
Letter to Hitler, asking to be excused from attending the Reichstag until he is no longer under the "shadow" of suspicion
Authors
Franz Papen, von (Vice-Chancellor; ambassador)
Franz von Papen
German general staff officer, politician, diplomat, nobleman and Chancellor of Germany (1879–1969)
- Born: 1879-10-29 (Werl)
- Died: 1969-05-02 (Sasbach)
- Country of citizenship: German Reich; Germany
- Occupation: diplomat; military personnel; politician
- Member of political party: Centre Party (until: 1932-01-01); Nazi Party
- Member of: Union-Klub
- Participant in: Hostages Trial (date: 1947-10-03; role: affiant)
- Significant person: Wilhelm List (role: acquaintance)
Date: 13 July 1934
Defendant: Franz Papen, von
Total Pages: 1
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: D-717
Citation: IMT (page 11892)
HLSL Item No.: 453554
Notes:For the letter of 12 July that is cited, see document D 716.