BERLIN’S “RACKET” GANGS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 291, 4 September 1931, Page 14

BERLIN’S “RACKET” GANGS

Tolerated by the Police Underworld gangs in Berlin, which organise small-scale “rackets” modelled on Chicago lines, are tolerated by the police. The Berlin police chief, Herr Grzesinski, in a wireless address to a ball attended by 3000 members of the notorious “Iminertreu” band, said that the police knew where to find almost any given suspect, and they preferred to keep the criminal elements in' easily classified | bands rather than to scatter them by dis- l solving the gangs. lie said also that it ■ would be practically impossible to prevent some criminal organisation. I The best-known gangs are the “Frei- | Bund” and the "Freie Vereinigung,” each of which is divided into six or eight_divisions. Apart from these there are 50 or 60 bands of young men and girls. The character of these may be judged from their names. There is the “Tartar Blood” gang, the “North Pirates.” the “Santa Fe,” “Black Flag,” “The Wild Seven,” ‘The Long Knife,” and “The Women-Haters.” These groups are often involved with l the police in cafe and beer hall clashes, but for the most part, like the larger , organisations, they profess to be organised purely for the protection of their mem- i bei'S.* !