SIGNS IN BERLIN WATCHED

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 269, 9 August 1943, Page 5

SIGNS IN BERLIN WATCHED

European Events

CONFERENCES AND TROOP MOVES

Blitz On Italy Resumed

<Bv THogrs[ih. — I’ress Assn. —Copyright > (Received August 8, 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, August 8. Herr Hitler has held important military discussions at his headquarters, says Berlin radio. Those present included Herr Bormann, who is his deputy, Field-Marshal Goering, Herr von Ribbentrop, Dr. Goebbels, Herr Himmler, and Generals Speer, Keitel, Zietzle, Milch, and Jodi. Admiral Doemtz, and also Hitler’s adviser, Colonel-General Jeschonek. It is widely believed that Messrs. Roosevelt and Churchill are about to hold another meeting on war problems, reports the New York “Herald-Tribune’s” Washington correspondent. He adds that the chief topic would undoubtedly be a new and urgent Russian demand for a second front which has been mentioned in the MosC ° W Milam and Turin, the three largest industrial centres in northern Italy, which produce the greater part of the Italian armaments, were bombed last night by a strong force of R.A.H Lancasters which flew from Britain to southern Europe. It is indicated that the attacks were well concentrated. Mosquito bombers were over the Rhineland. Altogether two aircraft are missing. This is the first raid on northern Italy since the attack on Leghorn on July 24.

Ribbentrop, arrival in Italy yesterday.' had a conference with the Italian Foreign Minister, Dr. Guariglia. The Berne correspondent of the “New York Times” says that one of the most important purposes of Ribbentrop’s visit fs believed to be to discuss the fate of Mussolini. Guariglia is also expected to discuss conditions under which the evacuation of the Italian divisions from the Balkans and Greece can be expedited. . The same correspondent in anotacr message reports that a wholesale evacuation of German civilians from Italy started last night. It is interpreted in weilinformed Italian circles as evidence oi Berlin’s certainty that Italy is about to become a battlefield either with Allied bombs raining down on German positions, or vice-versa. Moreover, it is the first outward sign that Badoglio’s plans and hopes for the neutralization of Italy have been dashed either through a refusal by the Germans to accept his 10-point proposition or the Allies’ refusal to acknowledge these overtures.

quality of the more recent arrivals. German bombers some time ago were mostly withdrawn from Norway and now the Germans are decreasing the number of fighters. , . . * The Norwegians are wondering what will be the outcome of a recent visit to Germany by General von Falkenhorst, the commander in Norway. They expect that extensive demolition will be carried out before any evacuation. PANIC IN BERLIN Hamburg’s Fate Feared (By Telegraph. —Press Aosr.. —Copyright.) (Received August 8, 5.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 7. A panic in Berlin, stated by Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent to have been caused by a R.A.F. leaflet raid warning the city it could expect the fate of Hamburg, has been followed by a proclamation by Dr, Goebbels announcing partial evacuation of the city. Children, old people, and women not fit for war factories are to find homes elsewhere. The evacuation of Berlin and Hamburg is only a part of a mass evacuation which has become a psychological impulse throughout Germany, says Reuter’s correspondent on the German frontier. Germans are leaving all main cities, according to the "Koelnischer Zeitung.” The great migration is now proceeding as a result of British and American bombing. Dr. Goebbels’, in a front page article in the “Voelkischer Beobachter,” promises to stay in Berlin whatever happens. “I, personally, as gauleiter of Berlin, will naturally remain in the capital,” he declared. “My work is here.” The paper explains that in the evacuation order which Goebbels issued, evacuees are advised to take some clothes, a small number of cooking utensils, china and cutlery, and some bedding. Transport costs will be covered by the mayor of the district of Berlin. Schools, with their teachers, will evacuate in classes to reception areas. Special travelling and hospital accommodation will be provided for expectant mothers. Mothers on war work can send their children to children’s homes outside the city. . The Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm “Afton Tidningen” says it is impossible to speak of Hamburg as a community. "The use of money has practically stopped. You get on and get off buses as you like. No fares are asked for or paid.. You sleep where you can, and large concrete shelters are preferred. You eat at public field kitchens, where no charge is made for food. Firemen have come to Hamburg from all parts of the. Reich, even from as far away as Vienna.” Swedish correspondents say that Hamburg is still without water, gas, light or food. The “Aftonbladet” declares that the city is uninhabitable. The "Afton Tidningen” says that approximately 180,000 Hamburg workers are unemployed. The bombings throughout Germany have thrown 400,000 out of work. It is planned to transfer workers to agriculture. The Hamburg police gave the following casualtiesl7,29o dead, 28,450 injured, 7290 missing, 372,000 homeless, 274 industrial buildings and 14,608 houses destroyed, 321 industrial buildings and 21,379 houses damaged. German Fears, The "Frankfurter Zeitung" warned the German population: "Enemy statements leave no doubt that the entire German homeland is threatened by terror.attacks.” Router’s Stockholm correspondent says arrivals from Berlin say the panic occurred when the R.A.F. recently dropped leaflets on Berlin warning people to expect the same fate as Hamburg. Thousands rushed to the stations and others streamed out of the city on bicycles and on foot. Reports are circulating in Istanbul that German circles say Berlin will be proclaimed an open city and ministeries and other important services will be evacuated to Dresden, Leipzig, Munich and Prague. Dr. Goebbels's statement, published by the Nazi Party paper “Volkischer Boebachter,” said-that the Luftwaffe concentrated on military and industrial targets in Britain in 1940, whereas the R.A.F. today hit German civilian targets. In September, 1940, Dr. Goebbels said in a radio broadcast: "Seven million Londoners are wandering about aimlessly in the streets, the victims of bombs and shells; complete demolition prevails. ,_. . Hour by hour the number of ruins increases in Britain. City after city is disintegrating into ashes and ruins.” In the same month there was Hitler’s statement: “We shall erase the cities of Britain.” Goebbels today told the Germans: “Like the British, we must stand up to it now that our turn has come.”

‘‘Diplomatic circles in Washington believe that the evacuation of Berlin reflects a weakening of morale.both in the Government and among the German people, and that it may even mean that Hitler and his chief aides have lost authority, and affairs are now completely in the hands of military officials, says the “New York Times.” "This reasoning is based on an assumption that only a hard-boiled military decision could have produced the order for the evacuation. It is considered impossible that the order emanated from the political high command in view of the Nazis’ assurance to the German people that Berlin could not be bombed. . vThe State Department is watching the developments closely. The events within Germany are believed to be closely related to the military situation on the eastern front. It is known that the Germans did not use their reserves in the battle of Orel, which indicates a possibility that the German withdrawal may be based on political considerations.” Russia and Allies. The newspaper adds: “The ‘Pravda s charge that the British and’Americans have broken promised by not opening a second front in Europe has produced heavy tremors in Washington, but no official retort. There are several reasons for absence-of information concerning Russian affairs. The United States Ambassador, Admiral ’Standley, has frequently asserted that information is difficult to obtain in Moscow. "Moreover, Russia has recalled both her Washington and London Ambassadors. Informed circles liken the present situation to that in 1939, when the Rus-sian-German pact was concluded. At auj rate there is a unanimous feeling in Washington that the European scene is moving very rapidly.” [The Soviet Ambassador to London, M. Maisky, was recently appointed De-puty-Foreign Minister. He returned fo Moscow, and the name of his successor in London was announced. The Ambassador to Washington, M. Litvinov, was reported several weeks ago to hare returned to Moscow for customary consultaA report that the German Army is seizing power from the Nazis conies pom the Madrid correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain, who says: The Gerirtan Army lias decided not to liquidate Nazism, hut it is taking over behind the Nazi facade. It is doing it so thoroughly that it is obvious even to foreign correspondents in Berlin, and this has inspired constant references in the last fortnight by Spanish correspondents in Berlin to strict military orders” which are governing their work. Generals’ Policy. “The German generals, it is reported, are anxious to obtain the collaboration of a number of the officials who were dropped by Hitler, particularly Dr. Schacht, the financial expert, and they are also expected to summon non-Nazi technicians to fill posts in various Mmisteries. It is believed that the Press, which will remain under Goebbels but subject to the army, policy, will shortly launch a new campaign emphasizing that the Germans should concentrate on defence efforts. There will be less mention of the Nazi Party activities and the Fuehrer, and more appeals to patriotism. "The Germans, it is stated, believe that the changes will strengthen rather than weaken the war machine. They expected to eliminate the over-frequent, clashes between the party and the army, which has long felt that too much attention has been given to the party’s phobias, such as the anti-Jewish campaigns.” However, Herr Snuckel. the German manpower chief, in a statement over Paris radio, said: “There will not be a revolution inside Germany. There also will not be a change of Government. The German nation is united behind Hitler.” He added that from now on the German Government would expel all the Jews from Europe. Movements in Balkans. It seems obvious that the Germans are digging in in the Balkans for a fight to the bitter end, says the Istanbul correspondent of the “New York Tinies.” They have begun to carry out a rapid redistribution of troops in Yugoslavia, Greece and Albania, moving three divisions to the vulnerable Albanian and Dalmatioii coasts and rushing the coastal fortifications in Albania opposite Taranto and Brindisi. It is estimated that two divisions of Bulgarians have been earmarked for Montenegro, where the Italians are withdrawing. It is authoritatively stated that General Mikhailovich agreed that if the Italians abandoned all their heavy artillery, machineguns, ammunition and food he would grant safe conduct to Dubrovnik and Kotor, where the Italians are embarking for Italy. The Swiss radio said that German troops have rapidly crossed the River Rhone in the south of Greece and reached Modane, on the Italian-French frontier, which has been under Italian occupation. To Evacuate Norway? An impression is gaining ground that the Germans intend to evacuate Norway, according to reports from the NorwegianSwedish Press Bureau, says Router’s Stockholm correspondent. The repor's state that. German forces have already been withdrawn from several districts in western Norway. The Germans have not increased the number of their troops m Norway in spite of a deterioration in the