I was seven when I went to Germany in 1934. It seemed the thing to do then to raise your hand and say “Heil Hitler” – it was a fun thing to do, and we did it all the time as children (Palace criticises Sun’s ‘Nazi salute’ image, 18 July). We got one rebuke – when two nuns who came to the house where we were staying, to treat the mosquito bites on my mother’s legs. When we raised our hands to them and said “Heil Hitler” they said “Nicht Heil Hitler, Grüss Gott.”
Marjory Lewis
Redbourn, Hertfordshire
• I’m delighted that Tim Farron has been elected leader of the Liberal Democrats. I think he will be superb. Technically you were correct when you described him as the first Liberal Democrat to be elected president of Newcastle University’s student union (Profile, theguardian.com). However, for the record, I was the first Liberal party president of the union, elected in 1976.
Richard Murphy
Edinburgh
• I thought it was all over for the Lib Dems. It is now (Is gay sex a sin? Lib Dem leader won’t say, 18 July).
Karen Peploe
Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
• I see the Guardian has a Masterclass on offer at only £6,000, reduced from £7,000, on “How to finish a work of fiction” (Advertisement, Review, 18 July). What’s wrong with a full stop?
Alan Berry
Bingley, West Yorkshire
• I wonder if Allison Neal’s garden birds (Letters, 18 July) manage to tweet in 140 characters.
Melanie Hewitt
London
