LISTEN - Why Did The Meriden / Madison Town Art Lady Emily Hall Tremaine Host The Alleged Girlfriend Of Hitler? (1938-39)
by R. J. Preece
Tapping the lectern... One of the key mysteries in the history of Connecticut town art lady Emily Hall Tremaine (formerly Spreckels, and then formerly Von Romberg) (1908-87), is why ON EARTH did she meet with Hitler's alleged girlfriend, filmmaker Leni Reifenstahl, in December 1938 or January 1939, presumably at Emily's home?
There's no denying it; Emily admitted it in her secret deposition that I unearthed out of a court record in 2020. This was when Emily lived in Montecito / Santa Barbara, California, before World War II.
Leni arrived in New York and slowly made her way across America and ended up in the Connecticut town lady’s California villa!
The meeting of Emily and Leni became an explosive allegation against Emily in the “I’m not the Nazi, SHE is” divorce case in 1940-41, reported nationally leading up to the 1940 presidential election. The media coverage with photos is shocking, and something to see.
The question is: did Emily, with strong anti-Nazi creds, turn Nazi in California, or was she chatting up Leni to informally pass on details to her brother-in-law working for the Navy, and later directly for the legendary U. S. Naval Intelligence spy chief Ellis M. Zacharias?
Imagine the conversation. Was it: “So are you enjoying America? ... What fascinating people are you meeting, dear?” Or was it: “Psst... do pass on to our Führer that this California girl fully supports his work.”
Let’s hope the former!
Listen to the talk below:
This article was previously published in the Connecticut Centinal in September 2025.