小事化了 meaning in English

try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to

Since i knew gauleiter sturtz of brandenburg quite well, i was able to quash the affair .
由于我熟识勃兰登堡大区区长施蒂茨，才使大事化小，小事化了。
That is to say , when a calamity happen , the local government suppress the truth in public or stealthily for some reason , they either play down its truth or do some subreption in order to make common people in dark , which will result in rumor and scandal being spread about
即灾难事故发生后,当地政府由于种种原因或明或暗地压制报道,或者是大事化小、小事化了,或者歪曲事实真相糊弄老百姓,造成当地群众对有关亲身利益的身边灾情含糊不清,甚至一无所知,从而导致流言蜚语盛行。