rate, after listening for an hour to Hitler urging that every week
his father waited was a week lost for Germany’s destiny, the
colonel took a cab back to the presidential palace visibly im-
pressed.
President Hindenburg now moved rapidly to dissolve
Schleicher’s government. On January , he refused the gen-
eral’s request for dictatorial powers. He instructed Papen to ne-
gotiate with Hitler. Hitler in turn told Göring to start bargain-
ing with the other parties, and Göring started dealing out Cabi-
net portfolios to entice them. On Hitler’s instructions he se-
lected General Werner von Blomberg, the staid, uncomplicated
military commander of East Prussia, to take over as minister of
defense.
His position now hopeless, Schleicher resigned on January
. The next day the last obstacles to Hitler’s chancellorship were
removed, and Göring had the good fortune to be the one to
convey the welcome news to him. “In the afternoon,” recorded
Goebbels, “while we are taking coffee with the Führer, Göring
suddenly comes in and announces that the Führer is to be ap-
pointed chancellor tomorrow.” Goebbels conceded that Göring
had “diplomatically and cleverly” prepared the ground for Hit-
ler in “nerve-racking negotiations” that had lasted several
months; thus it was only right that Göring, “this upright soldier
with the heart of a child,” should bring to Hitler the greatest
news of his life. Göring’s face was wreathed in smiles. He was
now savoring an opiate as sweet as any forbidden narcotic the
prospect of power, and of the material wealth that would go
with it.