Heydrich’s SD gathered material evidence of the scandals in the Osthilfe for use in putting pressure particularly on von Hindenburg’s son Oskar, as stiff and morose a caricature as the President himself, who in consort with State Secretary Meissner virtually controlled the old man. Hitler’s strategy was on the one hand to threaten Oskar personally and the Junkers as a class with exposure, on the other hand to bribe him with Army rank and additional land for his estate. By this means he was to be persuaded to overcome his father’s refusal to appoint Hitler as Chancellor.
