"SHORT-WAVE 29”

Evening Star, Issue 23129, 1 December 1938, Page 2

"SHORT-WAVE 29”

RADIO DEFIES THE NAZIS TELLS THE TRUTH TO GERMAN PEOPLE In the following survey, “ Cinna,” in ‘ Time andl Tide,’ reveals unofficial aspects of German life and policy from quotations taken from the Deutsche Freiheits-Sender (German Liberty Transmitter, short wave 29.8). The Freiheits-Sender: is Germany’s opposition radio. Broadcasting nightly, it presents a lively problem to the Gestapo, whose determined pursuit it has dodged by changing its base of operations every evening, though occasionally it tempts providence by announcing the neighbourhood from which it, is "transmitting—e.g., Hamburg, South' Germany, etc. . ’ “Auf wiederhoren morgen, trotz Gestajio” (“ You’ll hear us to-mor-row in spite of the Secret Police ”) — this slogan can bo heard practically every night at about 11 by any listener who tunes in oh short wave 29.8. That defiant shout is the regular closing signal of the Deutsche FreiheitsSender,” which starts broadcasting every evening at 10. To tune in to short wave 29.3 re-; quires some patience. Often it fades out and comes back again on a nearbywave length; it has to dodge a groat deal of interference from the _ very much more powerful Nazi transmitters. Those who broadcast risk certain death when caught; and yet they go on,: night after night,; addressing millions' -of Germans who, spoon-fed with Goebbels propaganda, depend on the Freiheits-Sender” for the truth. (But heaven help any listener who himself gets caught in doing so!) From such a source of information one can glimpse the other side of the picture in the Third Reich. With this in view I have selected the following excerpts _ in precis from the Deutsche FreiheitsSender : FOOD. Recent Medical Congress at Wiesbaden has sent secret memorandum to Hitler on increasingly bad food situation, poor bread iu particular causing alarming rise in intestinal complaints. Latest Goering decree_ has placed standard and quality of prison food far below anything ever considered tolerable. _ Whilst in 1929, State spent 80 pfennigs per prisoner per day, present rate is 88 pfennigs (which, in view of risen prices, will not buy even as much as the same amount did in 1929). Average daily menu is SOOgr of poorest quality bread, some watery soup and; stew consisting of herring, potatoes, and calcium. No fats, no sugar, no milk. JUVENILE ILL-HEALTH AND CRIME. Increasing criminality. (Abuse of “ daggers of honour ” marked “ Blood and Honour,” and presented to members of Hitler Youth for special prowess in Nazi ideology.) Decline of health owing to bad nourishment and excess of marching exercise. More than JO per cent, of German youth, and in particular Hitler Youth, physically unfit. This bears out some earlier reports in the ‘ Munchener Medizinische Wochenschrift ’ (April 2) and the ‘ Frankfurter Zcitung ’ (May 27), according to which 37.4 per cent, of young army conscripts (the majority of them exHitler Youth) are suffering from flat feet. These were 1937 reports. The latest report of the ‘ Deutsche Me<hzinisehe Wochenschrift ’ (July --■ ■ 1938), states that more than 70 per cent, of juveniles (boys and girls) are foot-sore and mostly flat-footed. Hitler Youth is often forced to march up to 15 miles a day and, worse still, to stand for hours on end waiting for and listening to speeches on parade. PASTOR NIEMOLLER. Latest news very bad. He is in Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Reported to be very ill. _ Not a chance of release or even amelioration of conditions. GERMAN VICTIMS IN SPANISH WAR. Casualties amongst German Francoconscripts are running into four figures. Of pilots alone, there are, to date, 218 killed and 38 wounded. (Number of captured German pilots, according to most recent Spanish Government report is 54.) CIVIL SERVANTS IN AUSTRIA. Civil servants in ever-increasing numbers are being dismissed and xe-

placed by old party members from the Reich. PERSECUTION OF AUSTRIAN JEWS. Linz is to he purged of its 600 Jews by the end of September. Official reason given is that sacred neighbourhood of Fuhrer’s birthplace must ho longer be polluted by racial - Pariahs. Real reason is that neighbourhood'is gaining increased strategical importance (with an eye to Czechoslovakia) and comprises "hush-hush” district, where fortifications and strategic railway lines are being built. OUTSPOKEN VIENNESE WORKERS. Last week’s broadcast reported an amazing incident from Florisdorf, the Viennese working district which became world-famous when it was smashed by Dollfuss artillery in the 1934 rising.. The incident, trifling enough by itself, yet gains considerable importance py its reflection on the mood Of the workers and the extent of their daring. (The broadcast account is as follows Robert Ley, . Nazi . Labour . Front Leader and Cabinet Minister, had come to Vienna to address a large assembly of workers. He spoke on the blessings of Nazidom for Austria, on racial brotherhood, and on the great achievement “ One Reich, ono People, one Leader,” but he got a considerable amount of heckling on the lines of “ Where is the promised increase of wagesP ’’.etc. The Nazi leader, unused to this sort of thing, got thoroughly rattled and shouted: " Anyomvdiscontented can step tip her and ril givo him a freeticket to Moscow!”' Promptly a sturdy workman answered;. “ You mean Dachau, don’t you? ” A WARNING TO SUDETENS. Tens of thousands of leaflets were smuggled into Sudeten-Gerraan > districts from Austria last week. Gist of leaflets was; " Don’t'let the Nazis lure; you by promises of the paradise they:' 'are having in readiness for you! _ We’ve come to know that paradise during the last few months. Let us warn you in time! Don’t let them bluff you I;" Actuallyalthough the, majority of Sudeten; districts, is undoubtedly ; proNnzi, it is not nearly so large a genuine majority as generally assumed. There is_ some outspoken opposition, and considerably more not outspoken, the reason being that the majority ia browbeaten into active support by threats of what will happen to them if and when Hitler marches in. DUPING GERMANS ON SUDETEN ISSUE. Goebbels has sent secret and confidential instruction to editors to suppress any -mention of Czech Government’s appeasement proposals to Sudeten Germans. This is the most significant news of ' the week, aud the report has been confirmed by a prominent foreign journalist from Germany. Actually, the Gorman_ Press contains nothing but calumnies and incitement against Czechs, There is no limit to their practical suggestions _ for still further ameliorating “the bitter lot of the downtrodden German brethren”—so "downtrodden,” in fact, that they are allowed, with perfect impunity, to go practically' to the limit of inciting open rebellion against their Government. It is not difficult to interpret thaofficial German _ attitude. The Nazis; will go on asking for the impossible (viz., what would practically amount to a dissolution of the Czechoslovak State), they will continue ignoring even the most generous proposals, for the simple reason that it is not the welfare of the Sudeten Germans they have at heart; what they really want is to avoid at all costs any kind of amicable settlement. This does ■ not necessarily mean that they want to precipitate a war. Nor would they eve* dare to risk War, as long as the Western Powers remain firm (as they ; did on May 21 when that very firmness did avert war). All the Nazis w-ant out of the Sudeten situation is to bide their time and wait for the most favourable opportunity (if ever) of marching in. Meanwhile they have to continue stirring up trouble and keeping the cauldron at boiling point, .