GERMAN ESCAPES TO ALLIES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 116, 11 February 1944, Page 5

GERMAN ESCAPES TO ALLIES

Attache Denounces Nazis LONDON, February 9. ’ Herr Erich von Wermehren, assistant German military attache in Turkey since December, 1942, who disappeared from Ankara several days ago, is now in Allied territory, says the Ankara, correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency. He declared that he was disgusted with Nazi brutality,, and left with his wife, who is a cousin of Herr von Papen. British officials in Ankara say that von Wermehren escaped on account of the' Nazi attitude to tlie Catholic Church, to which he belongs. SECRET CONTACT Intelligence Officers’ Part (Received February 10, 11.45 p.m.) ’ LONDON, February 10. Now that von Werhiehren and his wife, Countess Elizabeth, have reached safety the dramatic story of their escape can be told, says the “Daily Mail’s” Istanbul correspondent. Von Wermehren had been planning for at least six months to come to our side, but the Gestapo watched the pair so closely that it was impossible for them to escape together. Eventually, two months ago, secret contact was made with two British intelligence officers, and plans were carefully worked out for- their escape. Von Papen dined with his cousin the countess at an Istanbul hotel last week before leaving for a holiday. The couple made their escape five days after vou Papen had left on the holiday. He returned immediately their disappearance was known, and last weekend the Gestapo hunted for them high and low. The Germans last Tuesday gave out the news that the pair had committed suicide.

The Bulgarians and the Germans are greatly worried as to the extent of the information von Wermehren has brought to the Allies. Von Wermehren is reported to have told the British intelligence officers that the Nazi ideology was incompatible with their religious and national beliefs.