Hitler's Spy Princess
Page 20
On 16 July 1968 Springer wrote a long and detailed letter to Drew Pearson. He had heard via the princess about an article Pearson had written in the Washington Post on the left-wing academic and author, Herbert Marcuse. Springer had decided that this article should be published in Germany at a later date. Springer also gave an answer in this letter to Pearson’s enquiry about how it could be that a photo existed of him in Nazi uniform. Springer put him right on this point. Shortly after the Nazis seized power in 1933, he wrote, they began making things more and more difficult for the local newspaper in Hamburg’s Altona district, owned by his father, a staunch democrat. No member of the Springer family belonged to the National Socialist Party.
Then – I was 21 at the time – it was suggested to me that, as I was a member of the German Automobile Club, I should also become a ‘paying member’ of the National Socialist Corps of Drivers (the NSKK). I applied – in the face of strong resistance from my mother – and was accepted, was given a uniform and had my picture taken in it. Being a paying member did not involve any duties of any kind. In the autumn of 1933 this changed. I was now asked to become a full member and to take part in paramilitary exercises. I refused to do so and the predictable result was that my membership was cancelled.
Springer went on to say that thanks to his membership of the NSKK his father was able to go on publishing his newspaper for a while longer without hindrance.
In the same letter Springer warmly invited Drew Pearson to Berlin. ‘I would be delighted to show you Berlin. There is no better place from which to study the city’s problems than my publishing house, right beside the Wall, and not far from Checkpoint Charlie. So please come sometime this autumn, if you can. Princess Hohenlohe has already agreed to join us.’ The Berlin visit took place on 2 September and was a great success for all concerned.
Once back in Washington, Pearson shared his opinion of Axel Springer with the readers of the Washington Merry-Go-Round; he is an anti-fascist, anti-communist, a champion of the free market economy and a generous friend of the state of Israel. ‘Springer is a remarkable man. As the son of a small newspaper publisher he had already begun his career before the war. Today he is the mightiest press magnate in West Germany, perhaps in the whole of Europe.’
Princess Stephanie was grief-stricken when, a few weeks later, she heard that her friend Drew Pearson had died of a heart attack. She continued working with Jack Anderson, Pearson’s erstwhile associate and now his successor. The new man was also invited by Springer to Berlin without delay.
Stephanie’s obvious weakness for powerful newspaper owners, first Rothermere, now Springer, cannot be ignored. It soon became apparent that the relationship between Axel Springer and the princess went far beyond the purely commercial. Stephanie was very attracted by Springer’s good looks and his resolute demeanour even in difficult situations. As Stephanie’s son Franz confirms, ‘Springer and Steph liked each other from their very first meeting. They agreed about politics. He liked her as a career woman who had lost none of her femininity; she admired his elegance, his attractive looks and the fact that he had the courage of his convictions. Quite apart from the employer–employee relationship, a warm personal friend-ship quickly developed between the two of them.’
Whereas forty years earlier Lord Rothermere had presented her with a Rolls-Royce, Axel Springer now gave her a second-hand Bentley S2 from his fleet of cars.
In March 1969 Springer visited Israel to attend the inauguration in Jerusalem of the library that he had endowed at the Museum of Israel. Stephanie was pleased to get a telegram from him: ‘What a shame that you cannot be with me on this solemn and important occasion.’
Late in 1970 Springer wrote to his soul-mate: ‘Dear Stephanie … I must thank you for the handsome clock, which only counts the good hours. As the year comes to an end I must also thank you for your many kind words, to me and to other people about me. The future is a black thunder-cloud. America is our destiny! The East–West shuttle diplomacy of Brandt, with his whole corrupt entourage, will nonetheless earn him plaudits as the Prince of Peace … Grace, mercy and peace to you and your son. Yours Axel S.’
Another publisher, Robert Letts Jones, chairman of Copley Newspapers, got in touch with Stephanie and Springer, and from this developed a personal friendship. One of his vice-presidents, Ray McHugh, wrote a letter to Stephanie:
Dear Princess,
Mr [Robert L.] Jones just phoned on his return from California.
You, Mr Springer and Ernst [Cramer]6 made a conquest!
He had a wonderful time in Berlin and was completely impressed by the Springer operation and viewpoint. I knew he would be.
… Our congressional elections are keeping me busy … but I have been paying attention to European trends. If [Chancellor Willy] Brandt tumbles soon, isn’t there a danger that the Christian Democrats will have to bear the full burden of the inflation problem? I wonder if it wouldn’t be better if Brandt were left in office long enough to prove his incapacity …
I am delighted to hear that you plan a US visit in December.
We have much to discuss. Ernst Cramer was here briefly … Ernst and I are agreed that we must act to improve cooperation between our two organisations … I suggested a weekly exchange of six to eight articles and editorials, selected for impact in Europe or the US.
This exchange could be created without monetary consideration to either party … If Herr Springer and my superiors agree, we could start such an exchange in January …
I believe we also can do quite a bit through our contacts with the Nixon Administration and with Congress, and via reprints in the Congressional Record, to encourage more awareness of German realities.
We must discuss these ideas when you come to America. I will meet you in New York or in Washington, whichever you wish.
Warm good wishes
Sincerely, Ray
At the end of 1970 Stephanie was particularly active once more. A meeting with McHugh at the Mayfair hotel in New York led to an important assignment for her:
Dear Stephanie,
So you have it in writing – when Donald Kendall, president of PepsiCo Inc, reached Henry Kissinger in California yesterday and explained your interest in arranging a meeting for Axel Springer with Kissinger and possibly President Nixon, Kissinger responded very favourably.
‘I know Axel very well,’ Kissinger told Kendall.
He added that ‘The Germans know that I agree with him on most issues.’
Kissinger said he would be happy to meet with Axel, should he come to the United States. Any decision on a meeting with President Nixon would be made at that time.
Kissinger emphasized that any meeting must be private and that Axel should have some public reason for visiting the US.
‘If the meeting were publicized’, Kissinger said, ‘the Brandt government would immediately complain that I was trying to run Germany through Axel’s office.’
Kissinger plans to be in California for about two weeks. He said he can meet Axel any time after January 15, but urges that he have some advance notice since his schedule is always at the mercy of the President.
You can tell Axel that I would be happy to make our Washington office available to him, should he wish to confer with Kissinger somewhere other than in the White House.
Should you wish to telephone Kissinger in California, the best way to handle it will be through the White House switchboard in Washington … Ask for Dr Kissinger’s office. Introduce yourself to his secretary and tell her it is urgent that you speak to Kissinger. The secretary will then locate him and he will return the call promptly. Explain that Axel Springer is the subject to be discussed.
This procedure is necessary because of the White House security precautions. They are very reluctant to release personal phone numbers for presidential advisers, but the White House phone operators are very efficient and they are always able to reach Kissinger within minutes.
I hope you have a wonderful visit in Washington.
Sincerely,
Ray
Springer did not travel to America, because he went down with a stubborn flu virus that was to keep him in bed for several weeks. But his visit was only postponed to a later date and Stephanie worked hard on preparations for the following autumn.
It was Stephanie who arranged Springer’s link with the Roman Catholic Temple University in Philadelphia. Here the princess exploited her old contacts with a scrap-metal dealer named Irving H. Kutcher, once a close friend of Lemuel Schofield. Kutcher, who had set up the introduction to the university’s president, Paul R. Anderson, came to Berlin, where he met Springer’s associate, Ernst Cramer. He then went on to Geneva to see the princess. Finally, on 28 October 1971 – in the company of Hollywood director Frank Capra and New York radio chief Robert H. McGanon – Springer was awarded an honorary doctorate by Temple University – piquantly for Stephanie, in its Albert Monroe Greenfield Conference Centre.
In Geneva Stephanie waited expectantly for a word from across the Atlantic. Then a telegram arrived from Axel Springer: ‘Greetings and lots of kisses from your excellent Barclay hotel, which I have just left as your “Doctor”. Axel.’
In 1971 Stephanie von Hohenlohe was also building her hopes on contacts with the Readers’ Digest empire. She had met several times with the company’s founder DeWitt Wallace, who was co-chairman with his wife Leila, in their home town of Pleasantville in upstate New York. At that time, admittedly, Wallace was not prepared to publish an article about Springer, still less to do so as a ‘favour’ to the princess. Rather annoyed, Stephanie pointed out to her friend ‘Wally’ that he ought to know ‘what a newsworthy figure Springer is on today’s international scene’. Furthermore, among the 36 million subscribers to Readers’ Digest, the Jewish element at least would be interested to read about him.
Springer wrote to Wallace: ‘I believe there can be no substitute for the impressions that can be gained from a personal visit here at the bridgehead of the East–West confrontation – no background material that we could send you, and not even Stephanie’s eloquent descriptions, even though she is certainly the most charming and persuasive “ambassadress” I have. Please make your visit here possible!’
In 1972 there was a new assignment for the ‘ambassadress’. She was to arrange a meeting between Springer and the editor of the French newspaper, Le Figaro, Jean-François Brisson. Springer was also to be introduced to another editor from France, Philippe Bernet of L’Aurore. Both meetings were scheduled to take place in Berlin, but they had to be cancelled. Stephanie, who was staying briefly in England, went straight to Paris to explain to the two editors that their visit did not have to be cancelled completely, but only postponed. At that time, Axel Springer had been warned that there might be demonstrations and riots, some of which would target him personally.
In Paris Stephanie met Jean-François Brisson and attended a lunch arranged by Philippe Bernet. She also gave a small dinner-party for the Duc and Duchesse de Doudeauville.
As she was not feeling very well, she returned to Geneva. From then on, she seldom left her apartment in the rue Alfred-Vincent; she was suffering from Paget’s Disease, a progressive affliction of the bones, and had to take strong painkillers. Added to this was the irritating fact that the apartment block in which she was the sole remaining tenant was to be sold. The other apartments were temporarily occupied by noisy Italian immigrant workers. Axel Springer had said he would be willing to buy the whole rather run-down property for her, but that came to nothing. Stephanie lived a very lonely existence in her apartment, with only her elderly Italian servant Lina, and her beloved dachshund Puck, for company.
On 12 June 1972, the princess had invited her neighbour Gisela Tornay to dinner. Lina had the evening off, though she would have much preferred to stay at home. When her friend arrived, Stephanie complained of a severe, stabbing pain in her chest. A doctor was summoned, and he suggested she should go into hospital for an x-ray.
In a private clinic, La Colline, the duty doctor found that Stephanie had a stomach ulcer that was threatening to burst. Since there was no anaesthetist on hand, her operation was delayed. But it came too late. She did not survive the surgical intervention. Stephanie’s son was then in London. Thus only Mme Tornay was with her when she died. It was 13 June 1972. Stephanie von Hohenlohe died three months before her eighty-first birthday. But since she had told the hospital her date of birth was 1905, she was thought to be fourteen years younger than she really was.
The last resting-place of Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst is in the village cemetery of Meinier, in the mountains above Geneva. The burial took place on 16 July. An announcement of her death was not sent out until later. The Abbé Bernard Ricardi, priest of the neighbouring parish of Corsier, conducted the funeral. It was attended by Stephanie’s son Franz and her nephew Herbert Bach, the Austrian Consul-General Herr Maier-Thurnwald, the German Consul-General Baroness von Kotzebue, as well as the wife of the American ambassador to Switzerland, and Stephanie’s loyal friend of many years, Count Benedikt Esterházy.
An oak cross was erected at the grave, bearing a small plaque with the words: ‘S.A.S. Princess Stéphanie Hohenlohe. 1905–1972.’ So even here the date of her birth is wrong.
On 28 July the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published a short item on the princess’s death. It said that the death of Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe had gone unnoticed by the public. The piece, which contained no less than eight factual errors, drew an angry letter from Prince Franz. The public certainly did take notice of his mother’s death, he said. ‘No fewer than twelve ambassadors came to her funeral. No less than 300 syndicated American newspapers reported it. So far, over a thousand letters of condolence have been received.’ Franz went on to say that his mother did not come originally from Hungary, but from Austria, that her maiden name was not Fischer but Richter; furthermore, neither she nor Captain Wiedemann had ever tried to persuade the British government to surrender. Lastly, she had not been interned as an ‘allegedly dangerous alien’, but because her visa had expired.
Baroness Dr Erika von Kotzebue, then German Consul-General in Switzerland, had got to know Stephanie while serving in that post, and had made friends with her. Looking back today, Erika von Kotzebue says: ‘She was very much alive, from the first day to the last. She was always frank, but was one of those rare people who go through life totally without prejudice.’
Axel Springer was not among the mourners. He sent her son his condolences in a telegram: ‘Dear Prince Hohenlohe. I was in Jerusalem when I heard the sad news of your dear mother’s passing. In deepest sympathy, I remain yours, Axel Springer.’
Ray McHugh, vice-president of Copley Newspapers and head of their Washington office, wrote to Axel Springer on 15 June 1972: ‘The news of Steph’s death was a personal blow to me … At a moment like this a newspaper-man doesn’t send flowers. He tries to tell the world about a really extraordinary human being.’
Stephanie’s friend McHugh wrote a two-page tribute to this exceptional woman:
If we are to believe the history-books, then Stephanie Hohenlohe’s world ended on 11 November 1918. But Stephanie did not believe in history-books … With her unmistakable style and the flair of her 19th century ancestors … she chatted and flirted and spun like a top for sixty long years through the drawing-rooms of Europe and America … The old Europe will mourn her death; the young Europe is the poorer, because it no longer has the chance to know her.
After his mother’s death, Prince Franz kept her beautiful apartment in Geneva for a while, but then chose the USA as his home. As an American citizen, who has never married, he lived for a long time in the exclusive resort of Palm Springs in the Californian desert, not far from Los Angeles. The prince, an extremely likeable cosmopolitan, today lives in one of Europe’s major capitals. As well as a biography of his mother, he has written a book about his time in the US Army.
Wh
en one talks to him about his mother, it is clear that he holds her in great affection and admiration. ‘Think of all she lived through, the poor thing’, says Prince Franz, now in his late eighties. To this day he still worships her as ‘the Lady with Connections’.
Appendices
I: STEPHANIE VON HOHENLOHE: ‘PREFATORY MORNING MONOLOGUE’
This document is held in the Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford, USA, and appears to be intended by Stephanie as an introduction to her memoirs, which were never published. Written in her own English, with its breathless punctuation preserved, it probably dates from 1940, soon after she emigrated from Britain to the United States. Tr.
Ah … oh … ah … What is it, Anna? … Ah … the mail … What’s the time? … Nine, already? … Really? … Well, I suppose, another day … Ah, what a heap of letters …! And probably not a letter in it … not what I call a letter … No … no … no … just some orange-juice and coffee … Printed Matter, Printed Matter, Printed Matter … Four-fifths of my so-called mail … What a waste! … Does anyone ever read this rubbish? … Well, I suppose the post-office and the printers must live … Ah, a letter …! No … bills, bills, bills … I’m not in a paying mood … alas. I shall have to, some day … noblesse oblige … What does the world want of me, day after day …? They want me to buy, or they want me to pay … to buy, to pay … Another business letter … Well, at least something different … A literary agency … Ah … the story of my life … my memoirs? … ‘Of great interest … some inquiries …’
They want my memoirs … well … am I so old already? What is the proper age for looking back …? When I was fifteen I loved to sit at a window in the sunset, to remember … to remember … I don’t know what I remembered then, but I loved those hours of sweet melancholia. I felt so deep and wise and I meditated on the vanity of all things … vanitas vanitatum … It’s a long time since I indulged in those evening moods of looking back …