DESIGNS ON SLESVIG

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 34, 10 February 1937, Page 5

DESIGNS ON SLESVIG

WHAT THE NAZIS ARE DOING Denmark competes with Czechoslovakia as candidate for the special attention of the Third Realm in its effort to establish the "greater Germany," which is the principal aim of German foreign policy, wrote the diplomatic correspondent of the "Manchestc Guardian" on January 9. Southern Slesvig is part of the region which was forcibly annexed by Prussia in 1864. It was ceded to Denmark as the result of a plebiscite held under the Treaty of Versailles. The plebiscite was a perfectly fair one,- there is no doubt whatever about the existence of a big Danish majority in the region, nor is there any doubt about the fairness with which the German minority has been treated by the Danes. Germany, therefore, has no case whatever in Southern Slesvig. Nevertheless, she plans to -cover the region by means of a plebiscite. he first clear indication that Germany bent on the recovery_of Southern Slesvig was given in the late summer of 1933. when the chiefs of the S.A. on the German side of the border held a meeting at which it was decided tint 'the mission of the S.A. wo-'d not be fulfilled until Southern Slervig was German once again. After the plebi- 2 in the *Saar German pressure and propaganda were concentrated on the poorer peasantry and the unemployed with a view to making strong irredentists of them.' EMIGRATION ENCOURAGED Pressure, somatimes taking the form o. a boyntt, was put o: German parents so as to make them send their children to thp German instead of to the Danish schools. (In 1929 2946 Germans attended the German schools; in 1934 the figure rose to 4459.) The German Nazis also established contact with the Danish Nazis and brought them under te subjeption—the Danish party is modelled on t! Gerr The Danish Nazis (including both those of Danish and those of Ger slock) are organised in 530 sections. There is constant intercourse between the German and Danish Nazi parties. They hold joint meetings near the frontier and attend joint instructional courses. The German party exacts compliance from the Danes on all bi.e" political issues. Germans living in other parts of Denmark are encouraged to settle in Southern Slesvig. Germans residing in the Reich are encouraged to emigrate to Denmark In the last three years about 7000 Germans have responded. In this way the German minority is increased. The German..; who have left the Reich to settle in Southern Slesvig are tried people most of whom have belonged to one of the Nazi military organisations. Youthful Germans from Denmark are being trained in German camps. About 200 .have been trained as airmen on the island of Sylt. A motorised column of German Slesvigers is being organised.