From the testimony of Adolf Althoff

"When the Nazi gentlemen came to check on us, I usually knew about it in advance from Franz [the representative of the Nazi Party in the circus]. First they wanted to make sure that the tent was technically sound, to verify the people's living conditions, to check that we were not employing unwanted foreigners or even Jews. Then they wanted to know about my opinions. I kept telling them that I was a circus man, and that circus people live in the entire world and of the entire world. We couldn't exist only in Germany, where there were many other circuses.

We therefore had to adjust and behave in every country that we visited as if we were at home, that is – be well behaved. I was always especially kind, gave them free tickets for the extended family, generously poured cognac, told them stories from my past – for example how I used to perform in Kiev with bears. Russia was always an attractive topic. They admired our circus because it was so neat. When they wanted to check the premises, I usually was able to divert them. I told them that I had a meeting with one of their superiors, but that my wife Maria would take care of them. By that time she had set the table in our wagon, and offered them coffee. She never forgot the bottle of cognac. Our hospitality became famous."

From: Ingeborg Prior, Der Clown und die Zirkusreitering [German], Malik 1997