FORMER TERRITORIES ISSUE— Uproar In West German Parliament

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 September 1949, Page 5

FORMER TERRITORIES ISSUE— Uproar In West German Parliament

September 22 (Rec 11.10 a.m.).—ln a tumultuous session of the West German Republic’s young Parliament at Bonn today, frequent references were made to former German territories. While they made no outright demands, several minor party members talked of German ties with Austria and Czechoslovakia’s Sudentenland and parts of Poland. ' They pinned their remarks to a statement by the Chancellor, Dr Adenauer, on Monday that the Republic would press “in a lawful manner’’ for the return of territories held by Russia and Poland east of the Oder-Neisse line. The boisterous proceedings came near to blows when two Germans recently returned from Russian prison camps forced their way past the .guards and rushed on to the floor of the House in tattered uniforms to refute the pro-Soviet utterances of a Communist deputy, Max Reimann.

One of the soldiers, after showing Parliament hiS' worn clothing, said: “If I could reach Reimann, I would twist his. neck.”

A bedlam of shouts broke out while another Communist delegate,. Heinz Renner, shouted: “This is an organised propaganda campaign.” Before this. interruption, Mr Reimann had advised the delegates to accept the Oder-Neisse line, which forms Germany’s eastern border. Other delegated had said that the territory that is now part of Poland should be returned to Germany. Delegates Demonstrate Scores of angry delegates banged their desks and shouted “pfui” (for shame) and started a mass walk-out as Reimann spoke. Dr Adenauer persuaded the delegates to return to their seats only after much shouting. At this stage one of the ex-Russian prisoners said: “I was taken prisoner by the Russians at Stalingrad. I have no home and nothing to eat. Then to hear this man talk this way about leaving German territories under Russian control!” After he had restored order, the Bundestag president, Mr Erich Koehler, said: “The majority of this House has shown by its demonstration that it does not regard the Oder-Neisse line as final.”

'A Right Wing German Party deputy, Johann Christian Ewers, had earlier set the House in an uproar when he referred to the West Ger-

man. flag of black, red and gold as having a “yellow stripe.” Amid outbursts President Koehler shouted: “The constitutional colours are black, red and gold. I am not willing to permit any other description of these colours.” “Not Slogans, But Discipline” Mr Ewers in his address said: “Austria is German land. We reject the apeing of the foreign democracies —whether they come from England, America or France. We want a German democracy.” Mr Ewers added: “The way to win German youth is not with slogans but discipline.” Dr Adenauer, who took the floor after Mr Reimann, said: “I regret that this hall and this speaker’s rostrum and Germany’s interests have been desecrated in this manner.”