IN GERMANY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2328, 23 December 1925, Page 7

IN GERMANY

POLICE CENSOR NOVELS AUTHOR’S HOUSE RANSACKED. An astounding: form of literary censorship has, been introduced into Gcrmany. Mr. George Renwlck, in the ‘‘Daily Chronicle” relates a remarkable story of one of the many instances of how It works. Herr Curt Corrinth is an admirable and respected German author, a serious and high-minded 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 informed him that in the house of a local citizen, whom he did not know, a certain small work by himself, published five or six years ago, had been found and siezed as “ indecent”—indecent, that is. not in the view of any literary authority, but merely of the policeman. The 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 one has ever preferred a charge of “Indecency,” or even suggested, in criticism, that they were in the least degree improper, were siezed. His library was examined, and, together with a number of other works, Oscar Wilde's “Salome,, for long years so tremendously admired in Germany— was officially taken possession of ! Then three unpublished works,, , i*. manuscript, were added to the list, though, according to German law, an unpublished work does not legally exist, and cannot, therefore, be made the subject of a court action. After that a largo number of . Herr Corrinth’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 be held responsible for the views of people who wrote to him.

Then the four pages of tho. novel that Herr Corrlnth had just begun were scrutinised, together with the notes, sketches, and ideas he had jotted down In. connection with it. As nothing “indecent” was found in these Herr Corrinth was informed ho 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 suoh a censorship calls up, of authors doing their work with policemen looking over their shoulders and examining every sentence is a sufficiently alarming one!