Sir, - More often than not, correspondence on de Valera's controversial visit to Eduard Hempel on May 2nd, 1945 to convey his condolences on the death of Hitler omits one pertinent fact. That is that when President Roosevelt died on April 12th, 1945 (18 days before Hitler committed suicide), de Valera did not rush off to pay his condolences to David Gray, America's representative in neutral Dublin (who, incidentally, was a nephew of Mrs Roosevelt). Granted, the Dail rose early on April 13th as a mark of respect after de Valera had mourned Roosevelt's death as "a loss to the world".
However, the personal touch was reserved for Hitler's diplomat who, contrary to popular belief, was a member of the Nazi party (having joined in July 1938). In fact, Dr Hans Hartmann, who made Irish language broadcasts to Ireland throughout the second World War on Berlin Radio, just missed being able to use de Valera's visit to Dr Hempel for war propaganda purposes.
Hartmann's final broadcast went out on the same day, May 2nd, shortly before American troops shut down his transmitter. Any of your readers seeking more details may be interested in my recent book Hitler's Irish Voices: The Story of German Radio's Wartime Irish Service. - Yours, etc., David O'Donoghue,
Corke Abbey, Bray, Co. Wicklow.