Greetings to all - I have been what I believe is called a "lurker" until
now, but I was so thrilled by Mr Norrman's touching description of the
musical gift he recieved from his good friend, Dr Akima, and had to write.
What fine, generous spirits Australian Doctors have, especially the
Wagnerian Ones!

I know from his many, lively posts that Mr Norrman loves his Wagner,
too (snap!) and his references to the Great Man reminded me of a most
treasured gift in my possession, which I would like to share with him (at
a distance!) In my youth - a many years ago now, alas - I was quite chummy
with a lady of the name of Unity Mitford, who sad to say had been a near
friend of the unlamented Fuhrer in those dark days leading up to the 1939
conflict.

One never-to-be-forgotten afternoon in (I think) 1936, she was being driven
by the late Lord Howard de Walden (who sadly passed away only this year)
to a festive wurst-tea at Herr Hitler's Berlin residence.  "Buffy" Walden
was always a little, how shall I put it, cavalier as Knight of the Road, but
on this occasion his faculties were at high ebb.  Just as well, because as
they drove the last few yards towards the residence a small but dapper man,
reading a large and rather fearsome-looking tome, suddenly walked straight
into the path of the oncolming vehicle.  Lord Howard slammed on the brakes,
avoiding the man but knocking the volume out of his hand and (alas) under
the right rear of the car.

Shock all round ... especially when Unity and Buffy discovered that they
had almost squashed .... Adolf Hitler himself! Interesting to contemplate
how the course of European History might have been changed if Lord Howard
had had his usual lunchtime Glenfiddich Malt, but the point of this story
is the unfortunate volume itself.

Touchingly, the little Fuhrer was more concerned for his book than for
his own safety, and retrieving the volume from under Buffy's tyre, he
dusted it down lovingly before passing it to Unity as a keepsake of their
hair-raising adventure.  Even monsters can be chivalrous!  She in turn was
kind enough to leave it to me as a little keepsake in her will - an early
edition of the Vocal Score of the Sacred Music Drama, "Lohengrin".  The
Fuhrer had evidently been so lost in contemplation of that marvellous Act
3 Prelude that he wreaked but little for his own safety.

That treasured volume is by me now, complete with Buffy Walden's
tread-marks.  I know just how Mr Norrman feels, for I shall never
part with my "Lohengrin" score with all its piquant associations!

Mrs C. Shacklock
West Sussex