Confidential report from William Warnock to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)¹
(43/33)

As was to be expected, the speech of Gauleiter Förster² in Danzig on Thursday evening received great publicity in the German press. It was not a great oratorical effort, as it consisted for the most part of quotations from statements by British or French writers or politicians, nor did it contain anything really new, but Herr Forster clearly gave his hearers to understand that a reunion of Danzig with Germany is to be expected in the near future.

The newspaper campaign against Poland resembles in every detail that carried on precisely twelve months ago against Czechoslovakia. Each day several columns are given over to reports concerning the brutal ill-treatment of the German minority in Poland. We are told that German families are subject to a constant terror, and that even old age is not respected. German clergy are being turned out of the churches and expelled from the country.

The next thing we may expect, judging from what happened last year, is the establishment of refugee camps.

There is no indication of any weakening in the German attitude towards the Danzig question; rather the reverse. The general public expects the 'Anschluss' to take place very shortly. It is difficult to see how the leaders can draw back at this stage, and it is in any case unlikely they should wish to do so.

None of those with whom I come into contact believe that Great Britain will not intervene in a military way when Germany takes over Danzig (they are quite certain it will be taken over soon). They are firmly of opinion that the British will let Poland down in the same way as they treated Abyssinia, Czechoslovakia, and Republican Spain.

People are interested in our position in the event of war. Many of them feel that we would at least remain neutral, while some of the newspapers have suggested from time to time that we would immediately rise and attack Britain in the rear. The attitude to us in official circles is friendly.

The newspapers are pointing out that though the immediate annoyance is coming from Poland, the real enemy is Great Britain, who is urging the Poles on.

The transfer of the German population from the South Tyrol is passed over without mention. There is undoubtedly strong feeling against it, based on sentimental grounds. The Nationalist-Socialist theory of 'Blood and Land' is being conveniently forgotten. Apologists declare, however, that it is better to solve this problem once and for all. They add that the Poles have had numerous opportunities to settle difficulties amicably, and that matters could have been arranged had not the British interfered.