NAZI TECHNIQUE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 123, 23 April 1940, Page 7

NAZI TECHNIQUE

INVASION OF NORWAY. METHODS EXPOSED. REVEALING WHITE PAPER. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received April 23, 11.35 a.m. RUGBY, April 22. A translation of the White Paper issued by Norway on April 14 became available in London last night. It tells in impressive, simple language the story of German aggression against Norway, and an account of the events which compelled King Haakon and his Government to leave Oslo and, finally, set about organising from an undisclosed centre the resistance of the Norwegians to the German attack. It demonstrates clearly how Norway went to the utmost limit of conciliation. The White Paper opens with a statement that at 5 a.m. on April 9 Dr. Brauer (the German Minister) presented to the Norwegian Foreign Minister (Professor Koht) a number of demands from his Government, and continues: “Several, hours before these demands were presented the German forces had already attacked Norway. About midnight it was learned that foreign warships passed Faerder and entered Oslo Fiord, and threequarters of an hour later a report was received that an exchange of fire took place between these warships and the Norwegian forts of Bolearne and Eauer About 2 a.m. it was learned that five large German warships had passed the outer fortifications of Bergen. “At 3.3 a.m. it was reported that two warships had passed Agdenes and entered Trondheim Fiord. At the same time the warships that had entered Oslo Fiord —four Targe warships and a number of smaller ones—reached Filtvedt and soon afterwards fighting began between these warships and the coastal forts at Oskarsborg. The fighting was thus already in full swing and began also immediately after this outside Bergen.” SERIES OF DEMANDS. The White Paper then gives a very full summary-of the communication by Dr. Brauer to Professor Koht in which Germany sought to justify its claims upon Norway by the jiretence that it jiossessed proof of intended Allied occupation, announced the seizure of strategic points and formulated a series of demands. It is interesting to note that Dr. Brauer was cognisant of the fact that the German expedition had left its homo ports before April 8 and he made no attenijit. to represent the German action as a reprisal fur the British mine-laying. A characteristic detail of the Nazi technique appears in the White Paper’s account of the rest of the interview with Dr. Brauer. When Professor Koht said he must consult the whole Government Dr. Brauer replied that a decision must he taken urgently “because German action had already advanced so far that if it were to be arrested the German demands must he immediately accepted.” There was little delay i.n giving the reply. The Norwegian Government quickly decided that no independent country could accept such demands. In informing the German Minister Professor Koht reminded him of the statement recently made by the German Fuehrer that “a people who humbly submitted to the aggressor without the slightest resistance did not deserve to exist.” A later section of the document throws revealing light on the embarrassments in which the Nazis became involved by their two precipitate attempts to emulate the not very happy example provided them by the Soviet in setting up the puppet government of M. Kuusinen in Finland. PUPPET RULER SOUGHT.

On the evening oF April 9 a telegram was received at Elverum, to which the King, Government and Storting (Parliament) had moved alter a meeting of the Storting earlier in the day at Hamar, which confirmed the Government in office after learning of its action. This telegram asked King Haakon to receive the German Minister in order to discuss certain proposals. During the night a German detachment began to advance on Elverum and the King and Government, except Professor Koht, left there. However, the German attacks were repulsed by the Norwegians and thus King Haakon was able to return and alter all receive the German envoy at Elverum on. the afternoon of April 10. There were conversations, first, between the King and Dr. Brauer, a.nd later in the presence of Professor The German Minister declared the situation was now so altered that the demands presented in the memorandum of the previous day could no longer satisfy the German Governernment. The German Government must now demand the creation of a new government in which Germany could have confidence, making poysible amicable collaboration between Norway and Germany. The Government demanded that Major Quisling be appointed Prime Minister and that the I Ministers be men he had chosen for his Government, possibly completed by a few other personalities. COMPROMISE OFFERED. After the King and Professor Koht had pointed out that Major Quisling was quite without the confidence of the Norwegian people the Foreign Minister declared that the Nygaadsvold Government had declared itself willing to resign and he asked whether the German Government could not consider the creation of a friendly Government, which could collaborate with Germany, composed of persons other than those mentioned Dr. Brauer declared he was prepared to make concessions as to the membership of the Government, but Hitler insisted that Major Quisling must be Premier. Thus Hitler refused, as usual, even to negotiate and preferred a breach with Norway and all its consequences to abandoning the demand for Major Quisling. He had been forced subsequently to discard Major Quisling, but the episode shows once more that in dealing with countries against which he has no grudge Hitler is incapable of negotiating or making the least concession. Some hours later the German Minister received the reply that the King

could not appoint the Quisling Government. Dr. Brauer asked whether this meant that Norwegian resistance against the German invasion would continue and the Foreign Minister replied: “Yes, as long as jiossihle.” On the same evening the Government agreed upon a proclamation to the Norwegian people, which was issued the following morning, and started the organisation of military resistance against the attack. The White Paper records that during the following days the Government had to move from place to place because it was pursued by German aeroplanes everywhere they settled and particularly on April 11 fierce bombardments took place in Trysil against King Haakon and the Government.

The document concludes: “The barbarous warfare the German authorities have thus started has compelled the Norwegians temporarily to conceal their residence, but the fight will be kept up and the Government has been promised military help from the Allied Western Powers. It feels confident that in collaboration with these States it can save Norway for the Norwegian people.”