GERMAN PRISONS

Evening Star, Issue 21931, 18 January 1935, Page 7

GERMAN PRISONS

WOMAN INMATES INCREDIBLE POSITION In Germany to-day there are many thousands of political prisoners under various forms of arrest. Much, nonparty publicity has already been given to the male victims of the _■ Hitler regime, and several bodies are doing what is possible (it is not much) to get information about them and to communicate with them. But it is not so generally realised that among the prisoners are many women, and that of these—Jewesses, Communists, and “ intellectuals ” —the great majority are not alleged to be guilty of any crime except that of being related to, or of being in some degree in sympathy with, men who have made themselves objectionable to the Government (states the ‘ Manchester Guardian ’), What is happening to those women ?. Many are young. Many are the mothers of young fajnilies. What is the fate of their children? The details are'" not easy to obtain, but certain facts are well established, and women’s committees have been formed in several countries to - collect information, to arouse public attention, and to discover what help can be given. .Here are a few of the facts about the women prisoners. ..A typical case is that of Mrs Beimler, wife of Hans Beimler, who was elected (by 60,000 Munich- votes) deputy of the Bavarian Diet in -March 1933. In the first great round up that was the consequence of the burning of the Reichstag Beimler evaded arrest; but he was taken in April, and during four weeks of imprisonment, accompanied by hideous physical and mental torture, he learned from a newcomer that his wife and “the wives of all the other leading Communist functionaries*’ had been, arrested. “ Only those wives could count on being set at liberty whose husbands, like Dressel, Hausmann, and others, were dead.” Beimler managed to make his escape from the dreaded concentration camp of Dachau, so that his first-hand account is available. But his wife was thereupon transferred to Stadelheim Prison, where the conditions are those of penal servitude. She ia herded with criminals, treated as one, and forced to perform the hardest physical labour. During the sixteen, months of her imprisonment she has not been informed of her crime or allowed to communicate with any friend or relative. Of her children—a boy of thirteen and a girl of fourteen —the hoy has been sent to a. “ house of correction,” where he is undergoing Nazi training. Mrs Beimler'a sister is undeis“ protective arrest.” Her old parents also suffered a period of imprisonment, but as old people are a nuisance in prison they have been released, and are merely subject to continual raids in the place they call home.Even if a “ political ” husband dies* it would seem that his imprisoned wife is by no means certain of being released; When Steinfurth, a former deputy of the Prussian Diet, was arrested (also immediately after the Reichstag fire) he was pressed for a “ confession ” in the concentration camp at Sonnenberg. As he refused his wife was arrested as a hostage, and lie was duly informed.This likewise failed to extort the desired confession, and early in February of last year, together with three other men—■ itohn Scheer, Eugen Schonhaar, and Rudolf Schwartz Steinfurth was brutally done to death. ■ Frau Steinfurth then had an “ outing.” She was taken to a cemetery, and before an open grave was told that she was being allowed to attend her husband’s funeral. She asked that the coffin might be opened so that she could see his face.This was refused. Frau Steinfurth was taken back to the prison in the Ba; • nnmstrasse, where she still is. Fellow prisoners who have since been released say that she is likely to die. Hertha Sturm, a university graduate, has been imprisoned for two years t with a short break when she was released only to be rearrested. She i« known to have been badly beaten. Her friends in Germany and England have not been able to communicate with her. She is avowedly Communist in her sympathies. Not being prominent peoplo m themselves, most of the women who are locked up receive neither letters nor. food from the outside, such as are allowed to the better known male political prisoners, and without" which (as Thairaann lately declared in person to th«j deputation from the Saar) they would practically' starve. The women share with the men but one “ privilege,”! which is to hang themselves if thej} like. Many, such as Knodler’s wife* have done this.