Germans!
In recent years terrible things have taken place before our very eyes. Against the advice of experts Hitler has sacrificed whole armies for his passion for glory, his megalomania, his blasphemous delusion that he was the chosen and favored instrument of providence.
Not called to power by the German people, but becoming the Head of the Government by intrigues of the worst kind, he has spread confusion by his devilish arts and lies and by tremendous extravagance which on the surface seemed to bring prosperity to all, but which in reality plunged the German people into terrible debt. In order to remain in power, he added to this an unbridled reign of terror, destroyed law, outlawed decency, scorned the divine commands of pure humanity and destroyed the happiness of million of human beings.
His insane disregard for all mankind could not fail to bring our nation to misfortune with deadly certainty his self-imagined supremacy could not but bring ruin to our brave sons, fathers, husbands and brothers and his bloody terror against the defenseless could not but bring shame to the German name. His enormous lawlessness, oppression of conscience, crime and corruption in our Fatherland which has always been proud of its integrity and honesty. Truthfulness and veracity, virtues which even the simplest people think it their duty to inculcate in their children, are punished and persecuted. Thus public life and private activity are threatened by a deadly poison.
This must not be, this cannot go on. The lives and deaths of our men, women and children must no longer be abused for this purpose. We would not be worth of our fathers, we would be despised by our children if we had not the courage to do everything, I repeat everything, to ward off this danger from ourselves and to achieve self respect again…
Germans!
Hitler’s despotism has been broken… Hitler has confused the minds and souls of the people by his devilish arts and lies, and by his tremendous extravagance, which seemed to bring prosperity to all, but which in reality has plunged us into debt and want, and has caused fatal disappointment, even outside of Germany. In order to remain in power he set up a reign of terror. There was a time when our people could be proud of its honesty and integrity. But Hitler scorned the divine commandments, destroyed the law, outlawed decency and ruined the happiness of millions. He disregarded honor and dignity, and the freedom and lives of other men. Countless Germans, as well as members of other nations, have for years been languishing in concentration camps, submitted to the most terrible torments and often to frightful torture. Many of them have perished. Our good name has been sullied by cruel mass murderers.
With blood-stained hands Hitler has pursues his madman’s course, leaving tears, sorry and misery in his train.
With deadly certainty his lunatic disregard for all human impulses has brought misfortune to our people, and his self-imagined military genius as brought ruin to our brave soldiers… This must not go on! We would not be worthy of our fathers, we would be despised by our children if we has not the courage to do everything, I repeat everything, to ward off this frightful danger from ourselves and to regains our self-respect.
Time without number Hitler has broken his oath he made to the people ten years ago by violating divine and human law. Therefore, no soldier, no civil servant, in fact no citizen is any longer bound to him by oath…
Have courage and confidence! The task is a very heavy one. I cannot and will not make you empty promises. By hard work we will have to struggle in order once more to make our way forward and upward. But we will go this way in decency as free men and again find peace and conscience.
Let each one of you do his duty! Let each help to save the Fatherland!
- Colonel-General Beck
[emphasis mine]
