English Translation

Prague, 8.3.1943. /04: Draft Lammer report (February 1943). The high mood already recorded in January continued with the vast majority of the Czech population also during the past month. The interest was more than ever the military events, except for minor interruptions. The successes of the Russian Grand-Offensive strengthened the Czechs in their conviction of an early defeat of the empire. Essentially, the messages of foreign radio broadcasting, which were listened to in a previously unknown extent and were discussed more and more openly. Very numerous rumors, which were believed as rarely before, claimed that the German armies were in retreat far beyond the German side's admitted withdrawal of the fronts. With an almost obstinacy they tried to draw parallels to the year l9l8 and to determine all the symptoms that would lead to the collapse of Germany at that time and today. The anti-German attitude of the Czechs, which was obviously expressed at every opportunity, appeared particularly strikingly after the fall of Stalingrad. In numerous hateful and scornful statements, all the Czech sections of the population expressed their injurious satisfaction at this, without any significant voices of recognition or mitempence being voiced about the victims' death of German soldiers. From the slogans scattered by the whisper propaganda that Germany will soon collapse anyway and therefore nothing has to be done to avoid unnecessary bloodshed at the last minute, and it was to be seen from the fear of sharp German measures that the German-enemy leaders were trying not to let any riots and individual actions occur. Under the impression of an almost psychosis-degenerated conviction of the secure victory of Russia, a certain fear of the consequences of a Bolshevization was first felt in Czechs, especially among members of the intelligentsia and the middle class, which then under the influence of the general anti-communist propaganda wave covered further circles. Goebbels, out of a stubborn German hostility alone, the desire for a defeat of Germany unmistakable. - 2 -