Norman Ebbutt
Encyclopedia
Norman Ebbutt was a British journalist. In 1925 he was sent to Berlin
where he became chief correspondent for The Times
, remaining in Germany until his expulsion by the Nazis in August 1937, following accusations of espionage.
Before returning to England in 1913, he spent some time in Finland and Russia. He got a job with The Times
in August 1914 but left a few months later to join the R.N.V.S. as temporary Lieutenant for the duration of the first world war, returning to The Times in 1919 to work in the foreign sub editors department. In 1925, he was sent to Berlin where he became chief correspondent.
During his time in Berlin Norman Ebbutt became well acquainted with top government officials and counted Chancellor Heinrich Brüning
among his friends. He was distrustful of Hitler and disliked the Nazis. In April 1933 he wrote in The Times
“Herr Hitler, in his speeches as Chancellor, has professed a peaceful foreign policy. But this does not prove that the underlying spirit of the new Germany is a peaceful one. Germany is inspired by the determination to recover all it has lost and has little hope of doing so by peaceful means. Influential Germans do not see ten years elapsing before the war they regard as natural or inevitable breaks out in Europe. One may hear five or six years mentioned.”
Later journalist and author Douglas Reed
described the article as “a masterpiece of careful political forecasting, based on expert knowledge.” However, Ebbutt felt his message about the real mood of Germany was not being fully conveyed to the British public, because of The Times and its editor Geoffrey Dawson
’s policy of appeasement.
American foreign correspondent William Shirer summed up: “The trouble for Ebbutt was that his newspaper, the most esteemed in England, would not publish much of what he reported. The Times in those days was doing its best to appease Hitler and to induce the British government to do likewise. The unpleasant truths that Ebbutt telephones nightly to London from Berlin were often kept out of the great newspaper”
Ebbutt was eventually expelled under a charge of “espionage” in retaliation to the expulsion of three German nationals from England. Ebbutt always denied the charge. Joseph Goebbels
, the propaganda minister, warned all other foreign correspondents not to attend his departure at the Charlottenburg station, saying that their presence there would be considered an unfriendly act. Around fifty people turned up to say good-bye.
After only a month back in England, Norman Ebbutt suffered a severe stroke, thus effectively ending his career. He was 43.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
where he became chief correspondent for The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, remaining in Germany until his expulsion by the Nazis in August 1937, following accusations of espionage.
Biography
In 1910, at the age of 16, Norman Ebbutt spent six months teaching English to adults at the School of languages in Duisburg, Germany. The following year he had his first job in journalism, becoming second correspondent in Paris for The Morning Leader (later Daily News and Leader).Before returning to England in 1913, he spent some time in Finland and Russia. He got a job with The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
in August 1914 but left a few months later to join the R.N.V.S. as temporary Lieutenant for the duration of the first world war, returning to The Times in 1919 to work in the foreign sub editors department. In 1925, he was sent to Berlin where he became chief correspondent.
During his time in Berlin Norman Ebbutt became well acquainted with top government officials and counted Chancellor Heinrich Brüning
Heinrich Brüning
Heinrich Brüning was Chancellor of Germany from 1930 to 1932, during the Weimar Republic. He was the longest serving Chancellor of the Weimar Republic, and remains a controversial figure in German politics....
among his friends. He was distrustful of Hitler and disliked the Nazis. In April 1933 he wrote in The Times
“Herr Hitler, in his speeches as Chancellor, has professed a peaceful foreign policy. But this does not prove that the underlying spirit of the new Germany is a peaceful one. Germany is inspired by the determination to recover all it has lost and has little hope of doing so by peaceful means. Influential Germans do not see ten years elapsing before the war they regard as natural or inevitable breaks out in Europe. One may hear five or six years mentioned.”
Later journalist and author Douglas Reed
Douglas Reed
Douglas Reed was a British journalist, playwright, novelist and author of a number of books of political analysis. His book Insanity Fair was influential in publicizing the state of Europe and the megalomania of Adolf Hitler before the Second World War...
described the article as “a masterpiece of careful political forecasting, based on expert knowledge.” However, Ebbutt felt his message about the real mood of Germany was not being fully conveyed to the British public, because of The Times and its editor Geoffrey Dawson
Geoffrey Dawson
George Geoffrey Dawson was editor of The Times from 1912 to 1919 and again from 1923 until 1941. His original last name was Robinson, but he changed it in 1917.-Early life:...
’s policy of appeasement.
American foreign correspondent William Shirer summed up: “The trouble for Ebbutt was that his newspaper, the most esteemed in England, would not publish much of what he reported. The Times in those days was doing its best to appease Hitler and to induce the British government to do likewise. The unpleasant truths that Ebbutt telephones nightly to London from Berlin were often kept out of the great newspaper”
Ebbutt was eventually expelled under a charge of “espionage” in retaliation to the expulsion of three German nationals from England. Ebbutt always denied the charge. Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
, the propaganda minister, warned all other foreign correspondents not to attend his departure at the Charlottenburg station, saying that their presence there would be considered an unfriendly act. Around fifty people turned up to say good-bye.
After only a month back in England, Norman Ebbutt suffered a severe stroke, thus effectively ending his career. He was 43.