Tribunal Indicts German Leaders

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1947, Page 6

Tribunal Indicts German Leaders

NUREMBERG, Fri. <ll a.m.)—The War Crimes Tribunal indicted three field-marshals, 10 generals and one admiral, who were former Gorman military leaders, on charges of organising the German military machine before 0 the war and with responsibility, for atrocities.

The three field-marshals are Sperrle, commander of the Third Air Fleet, which bombed Britain from French aerodromes, von Leeb, commander of an army group in the French campaign, and von Keuchler, a commander in the Russian campaign. The indictment alleges that they participated as early as 1935 in a conference in which Hitler planned the war. and also that they broke the limitations which the Versailles Treaty imposed on the German armed forces.

The indictment reads: “The creation of a Wehrmacht, so large and so powerful that Germany could expand her geographical boundaries by force and threat of force, was the prime objective of Germany’s military leaders and Nazis alike, and was the foundation stone of their collaboration.” The indictment cites instances of the maltreatment of prisoners and gives details of the deportation and enslavement of civilians and wanton destruction not justified by military necessity.