To Preserve Gestapo Torture Chamber

Northern Advocate, 4 October 1944, Page 3

To Preserve Gestapo Torture Chamber

(Rec. 12.15 p.m.) LONDON. October 3. The Belgians intend to preserve Breondock, a lowlying fort on the approaches to Antwerp, whore the Gestapo tortured patriots, states a correspondent of the British United Press, who visited the fort. “They killed over 120 men in a month here,” said a guide, referring to a court yard where a gallows or firing squad were used when tortures failed. The correspondent continues (bat when peace comes, people will be able to see the branding-irons, also a pulley with which the men were lifted from the ground by their ankles, then dropped in sharp jerks for hours; also a whippingroom with steel rods with which the whipping was done. One cell contained a hole through which the Germans forced gas, also ail air-pump with which the victim could keep himself alive until his strength failed. Prisoners in other ceils were subjected alternatively to extremes of heat and cold. Some patriots marked on the walls of the cells how long they were there. The longest time recorded was 20 days.

Quislings now occupy the patriots’ cells. One of these quislings allegedly betrayed 300 patriots.