In a short speech, Mr; Fischer stressed the close ties binding the people of Germany and Austria, both of whom, he emphasized, spoke the same language. Mr. Fischer traced the histories of the countries, both of whom, he- stressed, had been closely related for centuries.
Party flags were flown during the meeting, and those drawn up before the Iltis Memorial raised their hands in the Nazi salute as the flags were placed in position, saluting again when the flags were borne away, and when the German National Anthem was sung. The meeting was concluded with the singing of the "Horst Wessel" and "Deutschland Uber Alles."
In the course of the meeting, the voters had had explained to them exactly how they were to enter their votes. With its conclusion, the voting began in earnest, lasting all day until at 6.30 the Consul-General announced officially that the voting was closed. The procedure adopted was similar to that used in Germany, and was in the nature of a "secret ballot." During the past few weeks, the German Consulate has been issuing permits to its nationals who were entitled to record their votes. These were exchanged at the German School Hall for voting slips, white for Germans, and green for Austrians, each containing in German the following words:—"Do you agree with the reunion of Austria with the German Reich which took place on March 13, 1988, and do you vote for the list of our Leader, Adolf Hitler?" The "list," of course, referred to the list of voters in Germany favouring the anschluss.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.