UNDER WHITE FLAG

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21606, 8 January 1945, Page 3

UNDER WHITE FLAG

SHOOTING OF ENVOYS THE BUDAPEST INCIDENT <0 a.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 7. The German High Command has issued an extraordinary statement concerning the two Russian officers who, while under the white flag when taking surrender terms to the trapped Budapest garrison were shot down by Germans. The statement says: “According to (ho official Soivet statement broadcast by the Moscow radio on December 31, two Soviet, officers carrying a (lag of truce were shot at and killed by German troops outside Budapest on December 29 at noon, despite the fact that (hey could be clearly distinguished as negotiators. Tiie German High Command states that the persons who appeared outside the German main battle line were not Soviet negotiators but four German prisoners-of-war who had been forced by the Soviet to play the part of negotiators and were to transmit to the garrison in Budapest a demand for surrender. Naturally the men immediately presented themselves to the German troops and declared that they had accepted this order only to escape from imprisonment. The Soviet lies, which are full of hatred and contrary to international law, require no further reply.” The statement was broadcast by the Berlin radio on Saturday.