Promises

After America: There is No Place to Go (Part 1 of 2)

When I was a child I learned the words spoken by Patrick Henry, "As for me, give me liberty or give me death!" As an adult I have been alarmed at the blatant attack on individual freedom, and as you read the following story notice the similarities to what is happening around you today. When you're done, pray for our country and our countries leaders.

Kitty Werthmann describes what she lived through in Austria, and the collapse she witnessed should alert all of us to what is happening to this country.  She is concerned that we are headed in the direction of Austria, and is disheartened to know that so many of our politicians are repeating this terrible history. This is her story, and it's a scary piece of history.

In 1938, Austria was in a deep depression. Nearly one-third of our workforce was unemployed, and both inflation and interest rates were at 25%. Farmers and business people were declaring bankruptcy daily. Young people were going from house to house begging for food, not because they didn't want to work but because there simply weren't any jobs.

Meanwhile, the two competing political parties, the Communist Party and the National Socialist Party, were literally fighting each other. Blocks and blocks of cities like Vienna, Linz, and Graz were destroyed, and eventually the people became desperate and petitioned the government to let them decide what kind of government they should have.

We looked to our neighbor to the north, Germany, where Hitler had been in power since 1933. We were told that they had a high standard of living and they didn't have unemployment or crime. Nothing was ever said about persecution of any group; Jewish or otherwise. We were led to believe that everyone was happy, and we wanted the same way of life in Austria. We were promised that a vote for Hitler would mean the end of unemployment and help for the family. Hitler also said that businesses would be assisted, and farmers would get their farms back.

Ninety-eight percent of the population voted to annex Austria to Germany and have Hitler for our ruler. We were overjoyed, and for three days we danced in the streets and had candlelight parades. The new government opened up big field kitchens and everyone was fed.

After the election, German officials were appointed and suddenly there was law and order. Three or four weeks later everyone was employed, as the government made sure that a lot of work was created through the Public Work Service.

Hitler didn't take Austria by force, with tanks and guns: He was elected by a landslide vote of the people.