DRASTIC EFFORTS TO STAMP OUT RESISTANCE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 9, 6 October 1941, Page 7

DRASTIC EFFORTS TO STAMP OUT RESISTANCE

(British Official Wireless.) (Received October 5, 8.20 p.m.) RUGBY, October 4. Though attention has recently been focused mainly on the German outrages in Czechoslovakia, information reaching London shows that the Germans are combating unrest in other occupied countries by ruthless oppression. . . ' . There are stories of frequent sabotage in Holland in spite of drastic Nazi persecution, of clashes between Norwegians and Nazis, of further wholesale executions in Czechoslovakia and of German military moves in Serbia to counter the activities of patriot irregulars. While the occupied countries suffer under this relentless terror, British radio propaganda repeatedly assures them of the release which is coming. Colonel Britton told his listeners tonight that a master plan for destroying the Nazis had been prepared for the “V” army. As Hitler, in one of his rare speeches, spoke of the extent of Europe under his control, the Czechoslovak Government, meeting in London, pledged itself to' avenge German terrorism and asked for, “strict justice against Germany after the war.”

The proclamation stated that the Czechs would hold out in the struggle against German suppression till victory was achieved. It added: “The German rulers consummate their crimes by murdering innocent hostages, and it is the sacred duty of all decent people In the world not to forget the foul deeds committed by Germany." The reasons for Germany’s terrorism campaign in Czechoslovakia were aptly stated by the Czech Foreign Undersecretary, M. Ripka. He recalled that one-third of Hitler’s war industry was now concentrated in Czechoslovakia, and said that any resistance on the part of the Czechs would deeply affect the Nazi war machine. Systematic Resistance. * Sabotage and resistance said M. Ripka, were nowhere in Europe organized so systematically as in Czechoslovakia'. . . All the recent operations of Britain and the Allies have been part of the V campaign, said Colonel Britton in his eighteenth weekly talk to the peoples of the occupied countries. The mobiiization of the V army two months ago, he said, was part of a plan. So was the meeting of President Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill, the inter-Allied conference In London, and the go-slow campaign in Europe. The master plan, Colonel Britton concluded, would unfold at the right moment. “It will ask a lot of you, and it will ask a lot of us in Britain," he said, “but I can assure you it is a good plan, with a good purpose.” Dutch Sabotage. The German commander In Holland announced that the war court had dealt with the originators of a newlydiscovered sabotage and espionage organization. The four principal accused were sentenced to death. Three were shot and a fourth, owing to “mental inferiority," had his sentence commuted to life penal servitude. In an interview with the Swedish newspaper “Nye Dag,” a sailor who recently left Rotterdam declared that the Dutch would continue to fight doggedly, despite persecution and terrorism. Sabotage was frequent. For each German soldier killed, three civilians were shot without trial. . He also mentioned a large Communist organization which distributed stencilled pamphlets that were hidden under table cloths in cafes. The distributors realized that they were placing themselves in the gravest peril, for all Dutchmen accused of Communist activities were now liable to sentence of death. The Reich commissar when he introduced the death penalty—a measure inspired by fear of anti-German sympathy in the Russian war—declared that anyone carrying out Communist activities in whatever form gave undeniable proof of‘his sympathy with Germany’s enemy. Clashes in Norway.

Open clashes between German troops and civilians in a town near Trondheim are reported from Norway. Germans in. a cafe turned on the wireless for the German news whereupon the Norwegians left the cafe. The Germans pursued them, using revolver butts. The Norwegians retaliated and the fight spread over the whole town. The Germans lined up the entire male population in the market place of another town and trained machineguns on them. Then a German officer said; “This display of might is our last warning to you. Abandon your anti-German attitude.” The Norwegians w er e then dismissed, Elsewhere the Gestapo’s reign of terror shows no sign of abating. The Germans in Paris disclosed that another 21 persons have been shot in the occupied zone, making a total of 71 since the agitation campaign began. A Serbian girl aged 21 was hanged at Szeged for blowing up a German book shop. ■ According to the Prague radio fourteen more persons have been executed in Prague and Brno, including Colonel Balaban, a former Czech army official. Courts-martial have handed over a further 131 persons to the Gestapo and sentenced to death 13 former Czech army officers. The Polish news agency says German official figures admit that 150 persons have been executed In the past three months. The agency adds that. 40 people die every day in the notorious concentration camp at Osviecim. It is reporiel from Zagreb that a German panzer division is moving from south Serbia northward in the direction of Belgrade with the object of mopping up bands of irregulars. It was announced in Berlin that Jean Oderkerke, secretary of the Bel gian Rexists, was killed by a bomb explosion at the Rexist headquarters in Brussels. The German news agency states that seven more Czechs, including Otokar Klapka, former mayor of Prague, and three Jews have been executed in Prague. The Moscow news agency says the quisling Croat leader. Dr. Pavellc, decreed that 10 guerrillas will be shot for every person guilty of attacking Croat authorities and not discovered within 10 days. Berlin Secrecy.

LONDON, October 3. “The Times” correspondent on the German frontier says that the closest secrecy is being maintained in Berlin about the repression of Czech patriots. From references in German-control-led Prague newspapers, he says, It is clear that two groups are operating. The first is seeking to resuscitate the Czech State on the basis of the separation of Bohemia and Moravia from the Reich. Tlie second Is accumulating large quantities of all kinds of weapons in readiness to overthrow Germany as soon as a favourable chance presents itself. It is composed largely of officers, including army generals,

many of whom have already been executed. It is pointed out that the breach which formerly separated the Czechs and the Slovaks is closing up under German domination. Over 200 persons were charged before the People’s Court at Prague for participation iu widespread sabotage plots. Otokar Klapka, former mayor of Prague, was sentenced to death for alleged attempted high treason and connivance with the enemy. Sentence Commuted. A Vichy message reports that Marshal Petain has commuted the death sentence on Paul Colette. M. Laval had asked tlje Minister of Justice, M. Barthelmy, that C-olette should not be executed. The Moscow radio states that Fritz Klausen, chief of the Norwegian Nazi Party, has resigned. The anti-Nazi German newspaper in London, “Die Zeituug,” quotes a report from Stockholm that negotiations between Herr Terboven, the Nazi Administrator, and Major Quisling, resulted iu an agreement stipulating that the German civil administration will be withdrawn from Norway after the war on condition that the Quisling Party has won sufficient support among the Norwegians. It is stipulated that Major Quisling should be appointed State leader. The German army of occupation is to remain in Norway with the object of guaranteeing the country’s safety till a Norwegian defence force is trained under German instructors, and also laid down that the Germans shall retain some localities for bases and also the right to maintain perpetual garrisons.

Vichy reports that anti-Jewish terrorists dynamited six synagogues in Paris during the night. An attempt was made to blow up a seventh, but the bomb was found and removed. Two people were injured.