Quisling Says He Was Protector Of Jews

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1945, Page 5

Quisling Says He Was Protector Of Jews

(Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 22. Quisling pictured himself as a protector of the Jews during today’s hearing at his trial for treason. He told the court that he worked closely with Jewish world organisations during the German occupation and helped Jews to escape to Sweden. He tried to prevent the confiscation of their fortunes. Quisling professed complete ignorance of German persecution of Jews and Norwegian patriots. He denied that he had even read about the persecution of Jews in Europe. There was a murmur of incredulity in the court when Quisling denied knowledge of tortures in the dreaded concentration camp at Grini, or starvation to death in Germany. Accused declared that the treatment of both prisoners and Jews was a German responsibility. His Government had been kept out of. what he called the Jewish question. ■Quisling maintained that the Hirdmen (Storm Troops) were an innocent political organisation, only carrying out police duties. He denied that the Hirdmen were given arms or operated against their- fellow countrymen. The prosecutor (Mr Schjoedt) read* a letter from Quisling to Hitler, dated July 10,1940, in which accused referred to his fight for a great Germanic community. The Judge Solem asked what he meant by a great Germanic community. Quisling replied: “A corporation of Nordic Scandinavian States with all other Germanic peoples, that is Germany, Britain, France and America.” “Brake on Nazi Plans.” Mr Schjoedt interrupted that in a memorandum dated October 25, 1940, Quisling gave another explanation of the phrase “Great Germanic Community.” He had referred to Norway as an independent kingdom bound to the Reich and also referred to a common foreign policy, German supreme command over the defence system, entire federation, the German Fuhrer to be president of the federation, and stabilisation of Norwegian currency based on Berlin. Quisling admitted writing the memorandum and said the object was to try and put a brake on Gex-man plans for incorporation of Norway into the Reich. He was then fighting against German interpretation of a Germanic community. Quisling engaged in frequent clashes with the judges. The Court ended a long tirade on his Nordic beliefs by ordering him to sit down. Quisling claimed that his second Government, formed on September 25, 1940, was 100 per cent. Norwegian and in reality was fighting the Germans. Laughter broke out in court when he asserted that he ordered Quisling guards to fight alongside the Germans against the Allied invasion forces to satisfy the Germans and thus save the Norwegian underground forces from being rounded up. Mr Schjoedt charged Quisling with the murder of Viggo Hansteen, Norwegian underground hero, which Quisling, with a sob in his voice, denied. Hansteen, whose widow is a member of the present Norwegian Government, was murdered by the Germans m 1941. The prosecutor accused Quisling of responsibility for asking the Germans to get rid of Hansteen because of his leadership in the 1941 strike.