The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters. Charlotte Mosley

the Express here. I wonder if it’s true or if the Express put it in out of spite – I should think it is probably true, it’s just the sort of thing Putzi would do. Members of the Party are furious about it & I don’t wonder, they don’t like their high-up members making themselves ridiculous abroad. I saw to it that the cutting was shown all round the Brown House.³ I hope Putzi is coming back in about a fortnight, or even sooner, I hope he won’t bring Miss Olive Jones here, I would be cross.

The excitement here over the Röhm⁴ affair is terrific, everyone is horrified. No-one knew about it until last night. I heard rumours after dinner & immediately went into the town, where there were printed accounts of it stuck up in the chief squares. I couldn’t believe it at first. I went to the Brown House, but the street was guarded by SS men so I couldn’t get near. I waited in a huge crowd in a square near for two hours, they were all waiting to see Hitler & Goebbels⁵ come away from the Brown House. While we stood there several huge columns of SS, SA & Stahlhelm marched past us to the Brown House, & huge lorries full of sandbags with SS or Reichswehr sitting on top, & there were SS men dashing about the whole time on motorbikes & cars. It was all very exciting. Then word was passed round that Hitler & Goebbels had left by a back entrance & were already flying to Berlin, so I came home. Today no-one can talk of anything else, & there is a rumour that Schleicher⁶ & his wife, Röhm & Heines⁷ have all killed themselves. I wonder if it is true. I am so terribly sorry for the Führer – you know Röhm was his oldest comrade & friend, the only one that called him ‘du’ in public. How anyone could do what Röhm did I don’t know. It must have been so dreadful for Hitler when he arrested Röhm himself & tore off his decorations. Then he went to arrest Heines & found him in bed with a boy. Did that get into the English papers? Poor Hitler. The whole thing is so dreadful. I must now go into the town & find out what has happened since last night.

      With best love to you & the Kits & Nan from

      Bobo

      Darling Nancy

Thank you ever so for your letter. How lovely, are you really going to give a party when I get back? I hope it will be as lovely as the one before I went. I actually return next Thursday the 19th, but have to go straight to Swinbrook, and please give me time to have my one-&-only evening dress altered by Gladys¹ so it fits me, otherwise I couldn’t possibly come. So could it be about 1½ weeks after my return?

Now seriously, about that book.² I have heard a bit about it from Muv, & I warn you you can’t possibly publish it, so you’d better not waste any more time on it. Because if you did publish it I couldn’t possibly ever speak to you again, as from the date of publication. And as for the article in the Vanguard³ I’m furious about it. You might have a little thought for poor me, all the boys know that you’re my sister you know.

The Passion Play⁴ was very long. So was the opera we went to last night. It’s fun having TPOF & Decca & Ann [Farrer] here, only TPO isn’t in a very good temper. I am though.

You must come to Swinbrook when I get back, as you will be wanting to see my 304 postcards of the Führer I’m sure. Poor sweet Führer, he’s having such a dreadful time. Well now I must go. But I must tell you one thing first. You see there is a monument in the town to the Nazis who were shot down in 1923, & everyone must salute while they pass it. I took the old Fem⁵ past it once & she wouldn’t salute, & the next time we passed it she went round a different way alone. So to pay her out, Decca & Ann & I dashed for a tram, & went home, & left her in the town quite lost & not being able to speak a word of German & that was in the morning, & poor old girl she didn’t find the way back until dinner time! Wasn’t it a good pay-out.

      Heil Hitler! Love Bobo

      P.S. No I didn’t fumble with Röhm at the Brown House. He preferred men you know.

      Darling Honks

Could you possibly send the belt of the wonder gown as I’m going to wear it soon. I expect you heard the story of me leaving school after two days.¹ I had to see the headmistress for two hrs and she lectured me about stone walls not making a prison, and I said of course not if you’ve got a horse that’ll jump them. She was furious.

      Best love from Debo

I argue for fascism at school as all the girls are Conservatives. Please tell Mr. Maize.²

      Darling Eugenia Fitzforgery (& Bodley)

Tell Bodley I couldn’t go to the case¹ as my car is quite smashed up again & we are frightfully in the dee pend in many ways. We fear we shall have to do without a car in fact. But it appeared the Lead was a wonderful witness, everyone is talking about it & as the case has been reported in full & as he has managed to make nearly all of ‘the speech’ during the course of it, I expect it will do the Party a heap of good.

I met a friend of Serge² last night, she says the whole summer Serge was madly in love with Woman [Pamela]. So it looks as if the old thing didn’t play her cards very well.

      The book is getting along – 34,000 words so far with 60,000 to do so only another 17,000. It is funnier than it was because there is more about E.U.G.E.N.I.A. – Eugenia.

      Well do come home soon oh do.

      My best love to Nard & you, NR

      Darling Birdie

Oh what a thrill! The Hill Top¹ is coming to the dance – at least I hope he is. I took great care to see that he was asked. I am really dying for it because it has been so dull and AWFUL.

      This is what I am giving to Filthy Rodd for Xmas

      They are links called ‘road to ruin’ and are ballet girls, cards, drink and racing. I am giving Tuddemy a pair of 6d Woolworth little boy’s shorts with an opening in front and nothing to do it up with!!

      Best love from Dawly

      Darling Bird

      I have a French gov this afternoon who, since she has seen her, has never