NAZI HORRORS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 101, 1 May 1945, Page 4

NAZI HORRORS

MORE ARE REVEALED

DEATH FOR MINOR CRIMES LONDON, April'3o. Here are new aspects of the Nazi domination which has led to the brutal excesses of the horror camps, and some of the latest reactions in Britain and America to the revelations of the atrocities committed:— In his latest report on the administration of wartime penal law. Hitler's Minister for Justice (Thierack) proudly notes the death sentences in Germany rose from 99, in the last four months of 1939, to 5336 in 1943. Widespread sterility among French prisoners being released from Germany is likely to have an important effect on France's already dwindling birthrate. What is known as F treatment (F stands for famine) has been prepared for the starving people of West Holland under the auspices of the British Food Ministry, the Medical Research Council and five manufacturing firms. There is increased indignation in Britain that fanatical Nazi prisoners there live "on the fat of the land" and can plot against non-Nazis, since the publication of German prison camp horrors. A report from New York says the United States War Department believes it has wiped out evidence of Nazi domination in German prisoner of war camps in America. There is a move in Washington to urge the capture of Nazi war criminals even at the risk of ignoring treaties. The Hangman's Story Thierack's figures for kvst year are not given, but, as the number of death sentences increased with the decline of German military fortunes, it is reasonable to assume that the 1943 figures was surpassed. Thierack says the figures show how "faithfully the administration carried out the" mission entrusted to it by the Fuehrer, to proceed with the most rigorous means against traitors, saboteurs, violent criminals and anti-social habitual criminals." Details include 1747 death sentences for high treason, 250 for murder, attempted murder and violent crimes, also 938 against dangerous habitual criminals (for theft, fraud, taking advantage of the blackout and wartime conditions). The report, published by the diplomatic correspondent of The Times, says 122 were executed for thefts from railways, 182 for looting bombdamaged houses, and three for refusing help to air raid victims. Justifying the sentences. Thierack savs: "At a time when the most valuable blood is being sacrificed on the battlefield, the depraved and socially and biological inferior criminal cannot expect the community to put up with him, even though his offence does not appear to demand the extreme penalty. His removal is commanded in the interest of preservation of the substance of the people. Administration of the penal law thus fulfils a task of national hygiene by continuously cleansing the national body." "Nazi Court" In the Hcuse of Commons Mr. Pritt (Labour) asked the Minister for War (Sir James Grigg) whether he was aware that in Camp 22 a Nazi court had sentenced a prisoner to death for anti-Nazi propaganda, after which he had narrowly escaped hanging bv S.S. men, and that two other anti-Nazis were attacked and injured. Sir James Grigg said he assumed that Mr. Pritt was referring to Camp 21, where a prisoner was murdered, and added that suspects were being interrogated, and so far four had been charged and would be tried. A prisoner who was a witness narrowly escaped murder, and others, were attacked and injured. The camp had now been carefully screened and all known anti-Nazis removed. Ardent Nazis were now segregated from the others immediately they were discovered. Nearly one-third of the German prisoners in British hands in Britain —at present numbering 196,000 — had been segregated as ardent Nazis. It is ironic that while millions of Germans in Germany denying connection with Nazi-ism and saying the Nazis are responsible for prolonging the war, that Nazi fanatics in Britain should be in a position fearlessly to continue Hitler worship and carry out the murderous traditions of his regime. The question is being asked whether these well-fed Nazis, many of whom possibly are war criminals, will be allowed to return to Germany to be greeted as heroes and plot perennial disturbances. Public feeling generally is summed up in an editorial in the Evening Standard, whijh says: "Let the reeducation cf Germany begin in Britain. Put the Germans to work growing food for the British and the people Hitler enslaved. There is no need to await V day for this. Honest labour will sweat out a lot of Nazi nonsense." Troops Bitter Allied trcops in Germany greatly resent the generous treatment accorded to German prisoners of war by Britain and America, says the Daily Telegraph special correspondent in central Germany. "In recent months I have heard bitter comments, but never so generally as now, when thousands of Allied prisoners are daily being liberated to tell of the inhuman conduct they suffered." he says. "Fighting men are quite unable tc understand why this home pclicy persists, and angrily comment on it "An American Eighth Air Force man, Staff-Sergeant Phillips, just re leased, said: 'Prisoners cynically commented on General Eisenhower's recent apology for the accidental suf focation of three German prisoners during a rail journey. " 'This rare happening glaringly contrasts with German treatment ol 50 prisoners, cf whom I was one We were packed in a railway van foi transfer to the west, and remained in it for eight days. The only ventilation was through door cracks We were so crowded we evolved e sy r stem by which 25, though cramped could lie down. Sometimes mer screamed with agony, and one died but the Germans refused to let us cut, and conditions became appal ling.' "