I had visited the Palace when Ebert, a saddlemaker,
was President, and how Ellis Dresel and I had been 
ushered directly into his workroom, where we munched
black bread and drank beer while discussing matters
with Ebert.  This nation has certainly gone through
kaleidoscopic changes in seventeen years.
 
 Promptly at twelve the doors were thrown open and 
I was led into the room where Hitler was standing.
Behind him, in a solemn row, were von Mackensen,
von Ribbentrop and Meissner.  Behind them again were
several aides, among them Captain Wiedemann, who
has recently been in Washington.
 
 I read my speech and Hitler read his, whereupon
he led me to a sofa behind a table.  He sat on my 
left, then came von Ribbentrop, then Meissner, then
von Mackensen.  During the entire conversation the
faces of the last three gentlemen never changed in
expression, and Hitler and I carried on a conversation 
carefully listened to by three totally unresponsive
and non-participating presences.  Their unbroken
gravity was such that it occurred to me that the
scene might be reproduced if you, Mr. President,
should receive a foreign representative in the