Sudetenland’s Return Wanted

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31986, 13 May 1969, Page 17

Sudetenland’s Return Wanted

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) STUTTGART (West Germany), May 12. West Germany’s extreme Right-wing National Democratic Party yesterday called for the return of East Prussia and the Sudetenland to Germany, the establishment of an independent German Army and the abolition of Western Allied rights in the country. The party, which ended a two-day national congress, also demanded that foreign shareholdings in key West German industries should be restricted to under 50 per cent. The 700 delegates, shielded

from egg-throwing demonstrators by 200 strong-arm orderlies, passed a wide-ranging set of proposals for their election campaign in which the party leader, Mr Adolf von Thadden, said he expected the N.PJ). to win 40 to 60 seats in the Bonn Lower House—B per cent to 12 per cent of the poll. Mr Udo Walendy, a member of the party’s executive board, said a manifesto proposal calling for West Germany and West Berlin to be put on an equal footing with other countries meant the party wished to achieve the abolition of all Allied rights in the Federal Republic and West Berlin. “We do not wish foreign powers to interfere in West Germany,” Mr Walendy said. He added that British, French and American troops should remain but within the

framework of a treaty negotiated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

The Allies still have residual rights involving security in West Germany and hold ultimate responsibility for West Berlin.

Mr Walendy said that the N.P.D. also wanted recognition of historic German frontiers, including East Prussia and the Sudetenland which are now part of Poland and Czechoslovakia. Mr von Tbadden said in his concluding speech that the N.P.D. wanted West Germany to have a voice in N.A.T.O. at all levels, equal to its contribution and financial payments.

He said that the task of the Bundeswehr (West German armed forces) was not the defence of Atlantic documents and United Nations resolutions.

“The task is: defence of the home country against a possible opponent with appropriate means, defence of a fatherland which is moreover divided,” he said.

The N.P.D. defence expert, Dr Felix Buck, said that another important point was the establishment of a West German armed forces general staff.

“We have had no general staff since the last war . . . we have 12 divisions and need a general staff as a planning element to advise the national political leadership.” Dr Buck said that the N.P.D. had some 1500 active members, including some 500 officers, among the regular armed forces, and expected to gain up to 30 per cent of the votes of professional soldiers. Eight officers would stand as candidates, he said.