GERMAN BACKERS

Evening Star, Issue 25400, 3 February 1945, Page 8

GERMAN BACKERS

FOR DE-PRUSSIANISED REICH Resentment of Bavarians, Rhinelanders, Hanoverians, and other German " tribes " against the Prussians is reported by eye-witnesses from Germany to be growing stronger every day, and to foe taking on violent forms in some sections (writes the Berne correspondent of the ' Christian Science Monitor '). This apparent trend is matched by a discernible "away from Prussia" movement among German exile circles here who aim to do everything in their power to break up Bismarck's Reich, which, they say, was crumbling after World War 1., when Hitler saved the pieces. The Prussian- State, which is a " deadly " foe of these Germans who come from the more " liberal " sections of Germany, is described in a memorandum bv Professor Wilhelm Roepke, professor, in the Institute of International Studies, Geneva, as a State with "no soul or purpose except raison d'etat." DESCRIBES INDIVIDUALS. It produces a type of man which Professor (Roepke . describes as. a " weird type of man, who as an individual may be a jovial human but at once becomes a puppet or a devil when* functioning as a part of a welloiled, social clockwork. Frozen faces, clicking heels, .cramped bows," convict haircut, lack of natural grace—all that and a good dear more is Prussia, and much of it has become National Socialist." Comparing the system of land holding which prevailed east of the Elba with that prevailing in the western provinces, Professor Roepke states that the eastern feudal system with a. landless farm proletariat and big land holders established the Junker type, a " blown-up peasant, combining greediness and cunning of the worst type of peasant with arrogance and the domineering. spirit of the old 'feudal lord ' unmitigated 'by the principle of noblesse oblige." ROEPKE BLACKLISTED. Professor (Roepke, a Hanoverian who describes himself as a "liberal in-the western sense," had; the honour of being put on one of the first lists of discharged professors by Hitler in 1933 for no other reason - than his liberal epnvictions. and has been fighting National Socialism for,nearly 14 years. Professor Roepke and other Germans in his group are fighting for the ideas of a de-Prussianised, liberal, federalisticGermany. How large and influential this movement is cannot be judged yet, though it is known that several journalists who, in days of Nazi glory, were tightlipped and grim, have been " burrowing from within for years. Berlin has invited several members of tbe German legation back to Germany for torturing, but they have wisely decided to remain in Switzerland. News from Munich shows the Bavarians are beginning to dig up traditions as an independent State and talk of the "good old days" before Prussianisation.

They mention with pride the fact that II. was the only German prince who did not appear at Versailles' in 1871 for the foundation of a greater German union by Bismarck. They remember that during the last war Bavaria still had an independent administration. Later postal railway departments joined with the Reich centralised in Berlin, thus robbing tbe Bavarians of an independent administration spirit. t K VIEWS SENT TO WASHINGTON. Professor Roepke has sent' a memorandum to Washington,, which says diecentralisation and de-Prussianisation of Germany could be achieved with the Germans rather than against them, granted as a privilege rather than inflicted as punishment. Thus the aim to reduce Germany to military impotence would be achieved without any measures inciting resentment. TJie severest punishment for all responsible for the Third Reich and crimes committed in its name should be approved by any honest German once the full truth, which the Nazis have carefully hidden, has been made public. It would be_ a great mistake to regard German "unity, forced on the individual German States by Bismark and strengthened by Hitler, as irrevocable, German States should be formed into a loose federation with no central power at first other than an Allied control commission. All attempts to strengthen centralisation should be discouraged. Individual States should be given a chance to achieve complete _ independence if desired or form political combinations !with non-German States. " The defeat of Nazi Germany will bring a spontaneous, natural decentralisation, both mentally and technically. There will be no more orders from "Berlin, perhaps for a while not even the means of communicating. "Life will go on in the villages, cities, districts, in the most elementary forms. In small units; orderly selfgovernment will he' established!, based on the urgent needs of the momentMen personally known for ability and integrity will take over. " Mental decentralisation will be expressed in disdain for Prussia and for all for which it stands.' There will be no need for the Allies to establish such a mentality. The. Allies can limit themselves to encouraging and advising the Germans to build up * along liberal, democratic lines according to the needs of each region." ■■.