FREED BY NAZIS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 32, 17 November 1939, Page 6

FREED BY NAZIS.

FIRST DAYS OF WAR IN REICH. APPEAL TO THE GESTAPO. LONDON, November 1. Miss Nancy Rcichelt, a governess from Melbourne and first Australian to leave Germany since the war, related to-day how she got out of the country, and described some of the delusions fostered in German minds by Nazi propaganda. “The Nazis let me go because I appealed directly to the Secret Police,” said Miss Rcichelt. “My departure, however, was most probably sanctioned because the Government wished to make a goodwill gesture to Britain. I was informed that no further releases would be allowed except in exchange for Germans interned in Britain, ij“l hurried to Aachen when war was declared, intending to escape to Belgium; but I reached the frontier three hours after it had been closed. “I, threefore, went to Cologne, where the United States Consul (Mr A. W. Klieforth) personally financed me. I found the populace extraordinarily calm. “Although Germans were compelled to register immediately Britons were given a fortnight to register. No British women were interned in Germany, but most of the men were interned at Cologne, although some liberty was given. For instance, Cologne’s assistant city architect, who is British, -was released, because his work was regarded as of national importance.

“After registering, I was absolutely free. I spent'two months in Cologne and without restriction visited cafes, kinemas and historic buildings, although Cologne is in the Rhineland, which was swarming with troops. “I talked with soldiers in the cafes, and they declared that between bursts of rifle fire French and German troops conversed. The Germans were unanimously of. opinion that France had been duped by British politicians, and that these politicians were responsible for the war.

“I saw no civilian carrying a gasmask in all the Rhineland, although families residing in areas adjacent to the Siegfried Line were evacuated at two hours’ notice.

“The Germans are not hungry, but there is little meat, butter or coffee, the quality of their food is bad, while the tea is like dish water. “I was ultimately allowed to leave through the Siegfried Line, opposite Aachen when the Germans were heavily concentrating and stating that Britain might attempt a push through Belgium.”