The people on the balcony were all stunned for a while, at this time Hitler's body still did not fall, Torny continued to fire, and hit Hitler again, but at this time the guards also discovered his hiding place, and immediately countless bullets were fired at Torny, at this time Tolny's gun had run out of bullets, although he was not hit, but it was too late to reload his gun, he left the windowsill, took out a pistol prepared in advance, and planned to leave the room, but the SS soldiers had already rushed downstairs at this time, Torny wounded two SS soldiers, and when he found that he could not get out, intending to save the last bullet for himself, he fired a shot at the heart of his chest, at which point the SS soldiers rushed up and grabbed him.

Hitler, Himmler, and Tormyi were rushed to the hospital together, and that night, both Hitler and Himmler were pronounced dead, but Torny was miraculously rescued from the line of death.

After his injuries had recovered, Toerni was handed over to the Imperial Ministry of Security, and after interrogation, Toerney was formally charged with the premeditated assassination of the head of state.

Tolney's testimony in court is puzzling. At first, he claimed that he was instructed by a very influential figure in Germany, who was his "protector". But when he continued to be cross-examined, he firmly refused to name the man or the details of his motives. There were suspicions that he had a mental problem, but a psychiatric evaluation by a doctor confirmed that he was in good mental condition and could stand on the judgment seat. Others dismissed him as a "religious fanatic", saying that his mind was full of distorted utopian ideas, and that he had planned the operation entirely because he wanted to be a martyr.

After a court trial, Torny was charged with the assassination of the head of the political axe and officials in violation of Section 5 of the German Act on the Protection of the State and the People, issued in 1933. Witnesses were called and experts were heard. Tolny was asked to explain his actions in court. Torny told the court that he was the sole perpetrator of the action, for the benefit of all humanity and all Christian nations. He did not attempt to defend himself or ask for leniency from the court, but, at the end of his statement, he confessed that he "did not know Mr. Hitler" and expressed remorse for the assassination. But it doesn't work at all. He was found guilty and described as a "typically cautious, cunning, intelligent and experienced" killer, and Torny was subsequently sentenced to death. The Swiss authorities have chosen not to interfere in this regard. They did not ask for any leniency from the court, nor did they ask for a commutation of sentence. They didn't even let Thorde's parents know about his death. Torny was then sent to death row at Berlin's Pletzense prison to await execution.

Life in the Pletzense prison was unbearable. Prisoners are woken up at 5 a.m. every morning to go outside to ventilate their breakfast, a cup of coffee mixed with water and a slice of bread. Prisoners, like Torni, who were sentenced to death, were kept in strict segregation. They were handcuffed, anklet-chained, and three meals were brought in through a small opening in the cell door. Above their heads were electric lights that kept on and lit every corner of their tiny cells. They are not allowed to meet visitors, exercise, or work. The food is often a consommé mixed with potato skins and remnants of fat, and you can imagine how bad it is.

Prisoners who are about to be executed will be notified in the afternoon before they will need to put their belongings in order. They all know what that means. Prison guards usually come to pick them up at dawn. Everything is quiet, and they will be taken to "prepare". His beard was shaved off, his hands were tied behind his back, and his clothes were stripped naked. With each distant bell, a condemned prisoner is ushered into the execution chamber, where the guillotine is hidden behind a heavy black curtain. After the executive signaled, the curtain was opened. Condemned prisoners were tied to planks beneath the shiny blades on the guillotine.

Torni was scheduled to be executed in December 1935. Unlike other death row inmates, his execution has been delayed as the mysterious background of his assassination plot has been investigated again and again. Toerney was interrogated twice, but the interrogators did not get anything real from him.

Torni's stay in Plezense prison was quite painful. During that time, every day he had to prepare for the imminent death that could come: hearing the sound of anklets in the hallway, seeing the turn of the cell door key, waiting to meet the Grim Reaper. His letters express his longing for his hometown, his fear of death, and his renewed faith and optimism, most of which were confiscated by the authorities to help with the investigation. These letters also reveal that he regretted associating with "radicals" because they were the "protectors" behind the scenes, the instigators of the assassination plot. In February 1936, Tolny lamented his fate in a letter to his family:

"If I had been able to serve God, if I had not given up on the Creator, rebelled against God, who is the Lord of all things, and turned my back on the light in the darkness, I would not be here."

On March 12, 1936, Tolny wrote his last letter to his parents, telling him that his time of death had come:

"Dear Father and Mother,

…… This will be my last night here. I almost never thought that this day would come eventually, but I kept a cool head, and it gave me a glimmer of hope for tomorrow morning, and for a moment before my head moved.

…… I begged God to forgive my enemies. I beg for forgiveness from those who have been disturbed by me.

…… At last...... I hug you. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. I felt like my heart was cracking...... Thank you for all you have done for me...... I surrender my soul to God.

Your sons. ”

Because of his letter, the authorities needed to translate, analyze and review his last words, so Tolny's "calm head" was left for another day. At dawn on March 14, 1936, he was guillotined.

The news of Hitler's death shocked Germany and the world. On the evening of his assassination, the National Socialist Party convened a supreme meeting of the Central Committee. The next day, at the National Congress of the National Socialist Party, Goebbels announced that Hitler had died. The party members with iron will wept bitterly.

The obituary issued by the National Socialist Party reads in a somber tone: "Such a man has passed away: under his leadership, our Party, with a strong hand, raised the battle flag throughout the country in the ruins of war, swept away the resistance of our enemies, and firmly established a party belonging to the German people, the founder of the National Socialist Workers' Party, the great leader of the National Socialist, the man of whom the German people loved and proud, the helmsman of the ravaged Germany, the leader of the German people." ”

The obituary continues: "Hitler lives forever in the heart of every honest worker; Hitler will always live in the hearts of every poor peasant, and Hitler will always live among millions of people; Hitler was forever alive in the enemy's stronghold and hated the socialism of the state. ”

The workers and peasants of Germany were deeply saddened by the news of Hitler's death. On August 12, Hitler's hearse arrived in Berlin. The coffin carrying Hitler's body was then transported to the Reichstag. Along the route stood crowds of workers, Wehrmacht and SS soldiers and peasants. For five days and five nights, thousands of civilians and soldiers, together with delegations from other cities, young and old, walked into the Reichstag, where Hitler's body was parked, to bid farewell to their beloved leader. Memorial services are held everywhere throughout Germany. Both the National Socialist Party and the SS soldiers vowed to continue Hitler's cause. On August 17, a memorial service was held in the Imperial Theater. The Central Committee of the National Socialist Party made a final "farewell" to Hitler. In a speech on behalf of the National Socialist Party, the new National Socialist leader, Strassel, swore an oath to abide by Hitler's will. It was with sadness that he recalls Hitler's last public speech: "National socialism is no longer a distant future, or some abstract illusion...... We have dragged state socialism into our daily life, and we should be clear about this. That's what we're doing at hand. This is the task of our time. No matter how difficult this task may be, no matter how rusty it may be compared to our previous tasks, no matter how many difficulties it may cause us, if we all work together, the new Germany will become a national social-friendly Germany. ”

On August 20, torches were burning everywhere, and smoke filled the streets; The whole city of Berlin was in motion. The coffin carrying Hitler's body was moved from the Reichstag to the central square. Thousands of people crowded the nearby streets. The swastika flag fluttered. The band played the funeral march. Then began the final farewell ceremony, the last of which was at 4 o'clock, when the salute was fired in the square, and at about the same time the whistles of thousands of factories in Berlin and thousands of factories and locomotives throughout the country were sounded.

The history of Germany, with the death of Hitler, has since taken a different path.

When the news of Hitler's death reached Yanjing, and the high-level Chinese political axe was busy sending a message of condolence, in the Intelligence Bureau of the Ministry of Finance, Yang Shuoming heard the news and actually held a small meeting for this purpose, but the content of the meeting had nothing to do with the deceased Hitler.

"I think you've heard the news of the assassination of the German prime minister." Yang Shuoming said, "As for what will happen in Germany in the future, let's talk about your own opinions." ”

"With Hitler's death, the Kaiser's top priority is to appoint a new chancellor." Zhou Guansheng thought for a while and took the lead in saying, "The new prime minister must have the same prestige and qualifications as Hitler, and he should also be the leader of the German National Socialist Party." ”

"Who do you think is most likely to become the new prime minister after Hitler?" Yang Shuoming asked.

"Strassel's possible surname is the largest." Zhou Guansheng said.

"Tell me about this man." Yang Shuoming nodded to Zhou Guansheng, and Zhou Guansheng quickly recalled the situation in Strassel in his mind and began to introduce:

"Gregill? Strassel was born in Bavaria in 1892. He was three years younger than Hitler and was a pharmacist by training. Like Hitler, he was awarded an Iron Cross of the 1st Class and was promoted from an ordinary soldier to a lieutenant officer during the war. Strassel joined the National Socialist Party in Germany in 1922 and soon became the leader of the Nazi Party in Lower Bavaria. He has a burly torso, great energy, and likes to eat and drink. He was also a talented orator and an excellent organizer. Strassel, who had a mental and intellectual read, refused to bow to Hitler and to take seriously the Austrian's demand to be an absolute reader in the national socialist movement. He should have sincerely longed for the 'social-favoritism' part of the doctrine of national social benevolence. ”

Strassel got enough votes for the National Socialist Party in Bavaria to become the second largest party in the state, with 32 seats in the parliament, one of which went to Strassel. During the 1926 election campaign, Strassel was active in northern Germany, allied with ultranationalist groups there. He had a personal connection and a certain influence there, and he was the only leader of the National Socialist Party with such a connection and influence. Hitler had sent Strassel to northern Germany to form a party. He founded a newspaper in Berlin called the Berlin Workers' Newspaper, which was founded by his brother Otto Anderson. Edited by Strassell, there is also a biweekly National Socialist Newsletter for party functionaries to read, on the party's principles and policies. In addition, he laid the foundations of the National Socialist Party in Prussia, Saxony, Hanover and the Rhineland. ”

"Strassel was a bit of an energetic generator, and he traveled around the north, giving speeches, assigning district leaders, and building party organizations. He chose a man named Paul? Joseph? Goebbels' Rhinelanders were his secretary and editor-in-chief of the National Socialist Newsletter. This man played an important role in the propaganda work of the National Socialist Party. ”

When she heard the name "Goebbels", Jiang Xueying, who was a member of the meeting, noticed that Yang Shuoming's brows moved.

"What attracted Goebbels was Strassel's radical attitude, his initial belief in the 'social welfare' of the state. Both of them wanted to rely on the proletariat to build the National Socialist Party. But this, in Hitler's view, was complete heresy. The Strassel brothers and Goebbels succeeded in building a strong radical National Socialist left in the north, which made Hitler increasingly uneasy. For if they were allowed to develop freely, they might take the whole National Socialist Party and achieve what Hitler was so desperate to oppose. There was a showdown between the autumn and winter of 1927 and February of the following year. ”

It was Strassel and Goebbels who forced Hitler to a showdown on an issue that caused mass agitation in Germany at the time. The problem was that the Social Cook Party and the Communist Party recommended that the German political axe expropriate and take over the estates and properties of the princes and nobles. According to the German constitution, the issue is decided by referendum. Strasser and Goebbels suggested that the National Socialist Party, together with the Communists and the Social Cooks, support this movement for the expropriation of aristocratic property. Hitler was furious when he heard the news. Because many of these princes and nobles had donated money to the National Socialist Party. In addition, some of the big industrialists began to financially finance Hitler's movement, mainly because Hitler was likely to play an effective role in the fight against the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, and the German trade unions. If Strassel and Goebbels' plan succeeded, Hitler's sources of income could soon dry up. ”

Before Hitler could act, Strassel convened a meeting of the district leaders of the Northern Party in Hanover on 22 November 1927. The aim of this conference was not only to get the National Socialist Party in the north to support the expropriation movement, but also to propose a new economic program, in which the Strassel brothers and Goebbels would nationalize big industries and estates, and organize a House of Societies in the Italian fascist manner in place of Congress. Hitler refused to attend the meeting. The indecision of Strassel himself gave Hitler a respite. Hitler subtly co-opted Goebbels in the following period and eventually got Strassel to compromise with him. Hitler regained control of the National Socialist Party. ”

"The relationship between Hitler and Strassel was quite delicate, and the two did not get along well, but they would cooperate at some times, and they worked together tacitly. For example, Strassel once threatened to lead a group of National Socialists to form a new party from the National Socialist Party, for which Hitler almost committed suicide. But then the two reconciled. After that, Hitler miraculously won the support of Field Marshal Hindenburg, who hated him, and with the help of Strassel, the united National Socialist Party won a majority of votes, and Hitler was appointed by the Kaiser as the Prime Minister of Germany. Since then, Strassel has become the second-highest figure in the National Socialist Party after Hitler. When Hitler purged the SA in 1934, Strassel was nearly assassinated. ”

Speaking of this, Zhou Guansheng paused slightly.

He did not tell Yang Shuoming that Strassel's escape on the "Night of the Long Knife" was due to the work of Chinese intelligence agents in Germany.

"This Strassel was an excellent social activist, the leader of the left wing of the National Socialist Party, and as things stand, he was probably the most likely to replace Hitler as Prime Minister of Germany. However, based on his past performances, he lacks decisiveness at critical moments. So if he wants to come to power, there are still a lot of variables. ”

"However, there are many differences between this man and Hitler's political views, and if he comes to power, he will definitely change Hitler's policy." "Germany will not follow Hitler's path, just as Russia has not changed as Lenin had hoped," Jiang said. ”

(To be continued)