THE WAY IN GERMANY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 15 December 1925, Page 7

THE WAY IN GERMANY.

POLICE CENSOR OF NOVELS. AUTHOR’S HOUSE RANSACKED. An astonishing form of literary censorship has been introduced into Germany. Mr. George Kenwick, in the Daily Ghroncile, relates a remarkably story of one of the many instances of how it works. Herr Curt Corrinth is an admirable and respected German author, a serious and highminded craftsman, who has never produced anything of an inferior or sensational nature. Just when Herr Corrinth was beginning a novel a few weeks ago two policemen entered his study. They inlormed him that in the house "of a local citizen, whom lie did not know, a certain small work by himself, pud lished five or six years ago, had been found and seized as “indecent” —indecent. that is, not in the view of any literary authority, but merely of the policeman. 'flic police did not serve a summons on the author, but set about a twohours’ search in his house. All the copies of his many already published works, against which no oiie has ever preferred a charge of “indecency,” or even suggested, in criticism, that they were in the least degree improper, were seized. His library was examined, and, together with a number of other works, Oscar Wilde’s “Salome” —lor long years so tremendously admired in 'Germany—was officially taken possession of; Then three unpublished works, in manuscript, were added to the list, though, according to German law, an unpublished book does not legally exist, and cannot, therefore, be made the subject of a court action. After that a large number of Herr Gorrinth’s ordinary private letters were closely examined, as though the police were engaged "in dealing with a treasonable conspiracy, and as though the author were to he held responsible for the views of people who wrote to him. ■ Then the four pages of the novel jthat Herr Corrinth had just begun 1 were scrutinised, together with the notes, sketches, and ideas he had jotted down in connection with it. As nothing “indecent” was found 1 in these, Herr Corrinth was informed he might proceed with that particular work! Finally there was a general search throughout his house, during which his trunks, wardrobe, etc., were turned inside out. Then the policemen with their “booty” departed, leaving the house in confusion. Well may the Society of German Authors ask where this sort of thing is going to lead, adds the writer. Certainly the vision which such a censorship ’calls up, of authors doing their work with policemen looking over their shoulders and examining every sentence, is a sufficiently alarming one!