REIGN OF TERROR

Evening Star, Issue 24003, 30 September 1941, Page 7

REIGN OF TERROR

NAZI MEASURES IN OCCUPIED COUNTRIES

MASS KILLINGS OF SERB POPULATION CIVIL EMERGENCY IN CZEGHO-SLOVAKIA Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, Sept. 28. It is officially announced in Berlin that a state of civil emergency has been proclaimed in Bohemia and Moravia “ because of activities inimical to the Reich.” The Berlju radio quoted reports from Ankara, that Turkey has ordered cessation of all ships on the Black Sea. The state of emergency affects the districts of Prague, Brno, MaehrischOstrau, Gladno, Koeniugsgratz, and Oelmutz. Deputy Director Heydrick, who is second only to Himmler in the Black Guard, is regadred as one of the most ruthless Nazi leaders. YUGOSLAV PATRIOTS. The Istanbul correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says German and Italian terrorist measures against Yugoslav patriots is inflaming the Chetniks, instead of quelling the risings, and three new German divisions have been sent to Serbia to cope with the situation. Serbian bands operating westward of Belgrade and commanded by Lcbeden, an ex-councillor of the Soviet Legation in Belgrade, recently captured 63 German soldiers. The Bolgrade-Nish railway was again" destroyed at Paracin, and traffic is also interrupted on railways in Bosnia, SERBS EXECUTED. From 1,500 Serbs imprisoned in Belgrade 50 are chosen at random and executed whenever one German soldier is shot. The Germans on a recent Sunday hanged six Serbs and left them exposed in the city square of Belgrade with the object of subduing the population, but the people purposely thronged the square, pretending not to notice , the bodies. By placing machine guns behind them, the Germans compelled Serb gendarmes to shoot peasants in reprisal for the killing of German soldiers. This practice was discontinued because all Serb commissars and gendarmes threatened to resign. MASSACRE OF POPULATION. The correspondent adds that systematic extermination of the Serbian population is being carried out and about 300,000, including women and children, have already been massacred with the refinements of sadistic cruelty. The entire Serb population has been wiped out in some places in Crotia. Knowing that they cannot expect mercy, the Serbs in Croatia and Bosnia are leaving towns and villages and taking refuge in the mountains under the protection of the Chetniks. A secret Czech radio station stated that the advice of the 8.8. C. to the V army to go slow is having an effect throughout the protectorate, and strikes have broken out in many factories, including aero engine works at Jlnocice and electrical works at Koenigsgratz. as well as in textile factories at four places. ARREST OF PREMIER. General Alois Elias, Premier of Bohemia and Moravia, was arrested on a charge of ; high treason. The Gestapo leader, Heydrich, informing President Hacha of this step, said Elias would be tried by a people’s Court. The German news agency stated that Hacha promised “ co-operation in the impending task,” and asked Heydrich for support for the work of the Protectorate Government. The secret Czech Government declared that Heydrich was the bloodiest man of all the bloody Nazis. He had been sent to provoke the Czechs to open revolt and force all Czechs to their knees.

UNSAVOURY FIGURE HEYDRICH'S BAD REPUTATION (•Rec. 8 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 29. The diplomatic correspondent of 1 The Times ’ says the choice of Heydrich jis the protector of Czechoslovakia means that the full resources of the Gestapo will be pitilessly directed to crushing the spirit of resistance in the Czech provinces. Heydrich is one of the most unsavoury figures in the Nazi regime. Hitler enlisted him in. the police for cruelty and complete lack of scruple. YUGOSLAV GUERRILLAS MOVEMENT GROWING DAILY AXIS DETACHMENTS ATTACKED LONDON, Sept. 29. A Moscow communique says the guerrilla movement in Yugoslavia is growing every day. Guerrillas have attacked German and Italian detachments at Trebinje, killing 93 and capturing over 100 rifles and much ammunition. Other guerrillas destroyed the railway between Dubrovnik and Herzegovina, while guerrillas in another encounter attacked Italians with machine guns and grenades, killing 153. Others sank one German and one Italian ship in Dubrovnik harbour. The Moscow radio stated that Italian troops were moved from Paris because of numerous restaurant brawls between German and Italian soldiers. EXEGUTIDNS IN FRANCE REPRISALS FDR SHOOTING OF GERMANS LONDON, September 29. It was announced in Vichy that four Germans have been killed in Lille and three killed and six wounded in Paris since August 13. In retaliation the Germans have thus far executed 61 Frenchmen. 49 of them in the past 10 days. _ As a reprisal for dynamite attacks ou Wednesday night and Thursday German convoys and French trains the"

Germans .shot 20 “ particularly active Communists,” according to Pans newspapers. Armed terrorists allegedly stole considerable quantities of explosives on Monday night and a series of attacks started on Wednesdaynear the scene of the theft, which is believed to have been ou the railway between Lille and Paris. The Germans sent a threatening message through Luxemburg Radio to former French war prisoners: ‘‘ Germany has released hundreds of thousands of French prisoners, and some of them on return have taken tip the dirty work of anti-German propaganda and'have become agents of de Gaulle and the Communists. Such behaviour does not encourage German clemency. The measures taken thus liar are only warnings. For instance. 10 Communists will be shot immediately for every German attacked. The curfew imposed on Parisians is another warning. If the French fail to use every means ot opposing anti-German propaganda which will bring misfortune to millions of their countrymen, Germany is determined to take more severe measures. It is for you to decide. Frenchmen, whether you listen to British propaganda with its message of death and revolution or listen to our voice, which is the voice ot freedom.” TWD CZECH GENERALS SHOT & SPECIAL ORDER BY HEYDRIGH (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 11.15 a.m.) RUGBY, September 29. It is learned in CzechorSlovak quarters in Loudon that two Czech generals, Bily and Vojta, whoso execution was announced in Berlin, were arrested in Prague ou Saturday by a special order from Heydricb, who had just arrived. A special court was formed at once, and within 21 hours both were shot. Bily, who was a septuagenarian, served in the last war on the Austrian General Staff. After 1918 he commanded various Czecho-Slovak units, and in 1929 was appointed to one of the four Czech commands. He retired five years later. Vojta was an artillery specialist. He succeeded in escaping from the Austrians to the Russians in the last war, when he was appointed commander of the Ist Czech Artillery Regiment. He took part in the entire Russian campaign fought by the Czech legions.