GERMAN CHARGED WITH SPYING.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 November 1935, Page 8

GERMAN CHARGED WITH SPYING.

.interest in royal air force activities.

evidence tendered at preliminary hearing.

(By Telegraph-Press Assn.-Copyright) Received Wednesday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 27.

Dr. Hermann Gortz, a German, tall, clean-shaven and pale, was charged at Margate with spying in the interests of Germany.

Mr. Parham, for the Public Prosecutor, said Gortz, on his arrival at Harwich on August 29, described himself as a lawyer and novelist who w-as proceeding to Cambridge to study. Actually he went to Mildenhall and took a bungalow at Broadstairs on September 14, Accompanied by a girl, Marianne Emig, stated to be Gortz’s niece, they went to Germany at the end of October. Gortz returned alone and was arrested. Kenneth Lewis, a young aircraftsman in the Royal Air Force, told how, while at home on leave from Lee-on-Solent, he met Marianne, who offered to help when he was having motor-cycle trouble He had tea with Gortz and Marianne next day. Gortz told of experiences in the German Air Force and the conversation worked round to the Royal Air Force. Their information in that connection surprised him. Marianne said she was a glider pilot and asked him to send her photographs of Royal Air Force machines, telling him to remember that,' in the event of another war, Germany would be on the English side. He sent photographs of machines, a semi-aerial view of the Lee-on-fciolent air station and a few' newspaper cuttings which were of no value. When he ivrote he used Royal Air Force notepaper at her request. Cross-examined, Lewis said he did not supply any secret information. The photographs were obtainable at a shop. Major Similey Cook, of the War Ofhce, produced notes relating to aeroplanes; also cipher and other documents and notebooks, one containing the address of Dr. Thorst, a German journalist who was recently' expelled from London.

Gortz, in a statement to Hie police, said he was merely collecting material for a novel. His movements were not secret, and he went to Germany only because he was short of ready money. The (mart heard several witnesses privately, after which Gortz was remanded for a week with a view to committal for trial at Old Bailey in January.