PLOT TO SEIZE BERLIN

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26031, 7 February 1950, Page 5

PLOT TO SEIZE BERLIN

CHARGE BY GERMAN SOCIALIST COMMUNISTS FROM EASTERN ZONE BONN, February 5. The. West German Socialist leader (Dr. Kurt Schumacher) said to-day that 600,000 Communists of the Russian zone of Germany had been ordered to “conquer Berlin” on May 28. He said he believed that only Western Allied tanks could prevent Berlin from falling into the hands of. the Russians if a “putsch” took place. He added that his party headquarters had received reliable information, based on documents smuggled out of the Russian zone, that 600,000 members of the East zone Free German Youth movement would march on Berlin on May 28. Dr. Schumacher alleged that this was an attempt to incite Germans to do in Berlin what the Russians did not dare risk. He added that 200,000 members of the youth movement in the Soviet zone would march into the Western sector armed with alpenstocks. With them, marching as members of the youth organisation, would be part of the armed People’s Police of the Soviet zone. Another 400,000 youths would converge on the city from all sides.

Dr. Schumacher said he believed that the West German Chancellor (Dr. Konrad Adenauer) and his Government knew of the plot. He added that the recent increase in German nationalism in the West was Communist inspired. Western Allied officials said to-night that they had known for three months about a Communist rally in May, and rumours of a putsch. They said that adequate security measures would be enforced.