RULING GERMANY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25214, 29 May 1945, Page 5

RULING GERMANY

PROGRESS BY ALLIES POLICE AND EDUCATION PREPARING AIRFIELDS (Kecd. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 27 The Western Allies occupying Germany are, among other things, busy restoring the police and fire-fighting services. Trustworthy Germans, mostly those expelled by the Nazis, were trained in special schools in Belgium months before the* advance into Germany began. Now each of these trained men is at the head of a section of the newly-formed police service which the Allied Government is creating.

In a big city such as Cologne these men are on duty from 4.30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and during the curfew hours the citv is taken over by combat troops. The police mostly wear civilian clothes with arm bands, and are armed with clubs. Only those.actually guarding important installations are allowed firearms. Combating Fire Danger The fire-fighting services are having to be almost entirely re-formed. The danger from fire is great. (Jnder the rubble, of the ruined cities lies inflammable material, and the shortage of water in many places adds to the danger. Not only reliable and trustworthy men have to be found for the tire-fighting services, but also equipment. Most of the fire brigades in the Rhineland cities took their equipment into Central Germany on Hitler's

orders. Seven hundred Aachen children will, on .June 4. return to classes in the first reopening of German schools under Supreme Headquarters supervision, says an Associated Press correspondent. All; traces of Nazi influence have been eradicated from the curriculum, which includes reading, writing, arithmetic*. drawing, music, religion and physical training.

Pr Karl Becker, whom the Xazis in 1935 removed from the post of schools director in Aachen because he has mixed Jewish blood, has been reinstated. Part for Air Power

Preparations are also going ahead for the important part air power will play in the occupation of Germany. Gangs of workmen, mostly Germans, are already repairing airfields in the area occupied by the Western Allies. During the war, nearly all the airfields were wrecked, but landing strips are now being levelled and hangars and workshops rebuilt. They will be used by the air force, which will co-operate with the ground forces in the occupational zones. The air force will be thoroughly equipped with machines of all types, and will be so distributed that no part of Germany under Western occupation will be more than a few minutes' flying time distant.

LOW FOOD STOCKS FEEDING GERMAN PEOPLE STEPS TO MEET CRISIS (Reed. 12.20 a.m.) LONDON, May 28 A United States Fifteenth Army announcement states that there is only sufficient food on hand to last the German civilian population until the end of June, says the Associated Press. Rationing in* the Fifteenth Army zone, which includes the western Ruhr, the Rhineland and the Saar, from today allows 11 50 calories for normal consumers and 2800 for heavy workers. This compares with 2900 calories in the English ration under the new cuts. The Military Government reports the distribution of over 23.000 tons of seed potatoes, 1500 tons of seed wheat and 678 tons of other seeds. Measures for meeting the food crisis include the release of German war prisoners, the removal of military restrictions on the collection and movement of food and the recruitment of children not attending ' school for combating insect pests. It is officially stated that lack of fertilisers is likely to result in crops below the average.

HIMMLER'S IDENTITY

QUESTIONING OF AIDES CERTAIN PROOF SOUGHT LONDON, May 27 After Himmler had been buried his two aides —a burly colonel and a slightlybuilt major—were flown in a British transport plane to Field-Marshal Montgomery's headquarters, states the Daily Express correspondent at Luneburg. With them went Himmler's'personal belongings, his finger-prints, a cast of his lower jaw and iiis deathmask and also records of conversations with Himmler before his suicide. "The two S.S. officers did not know what was in the bags and parcels," the correspondent states. "Thev do not yet know that Himmler is dead and buried and we don't know whether they, like Himmler. conceal in their mouths tiny suicide phials, which they will crush if we are too tough. We have not yet searched their mouths because, in ,the first place, if they have phials they will crush them and ciie on our hands without divulging perhaps vital information and, second, if they have not phials they will know that we have discovered Himmler's trick and that he is dead.

"The two officers tried to learn about Himmler this morning, when they asked for newspapers. These were given them, hut only up to the clay before Himmler's death. Thev have already been questioned and will again be questioned at Field-Marshal Montgomery's headquarters. V "Contact will be made with Himmler's widow and brother, who are both in the hands of the Allies." the correspondent continues. "Efforts are being made to trace Himmler's dentist. Supreme Headquarters does not want to have any mysterv cropping up later, it wants indisputable proof that it was Himmler who died.

"Identity 50 far has been established by Himmler saving that he was Heinrich Himmler, by his appearance, a comparison of his features with photographs, his replies to trick questions and, most important, by his signature; but here there is a mystery.

"Himmler was asked just before he took poison to write his signature on a piece of paper. He responded without hesitation and was about to hand the paper hack when suddenly he tore it up into 48 pieces. British officers, during the weP k-end. pieced the paper together and it is now stated that the signature tallies with others in our hands. Why, though, did Himmler, who had admitted his identity, tear up the signature? Possibly he feared we might write something over it. such as a confession that he personally ordered the horrors at Belsen and Buchenwald camps."

FOOD FOR BRITAIN CITRUS FRUIT AND CHEESE (Reed. 6.10 p.in.) LONDON, May 28 Two welcome items of food news have been made known in London. The South African Minister of Agriculture states that enormous supplies of citrus fruits are available for Britain if the shipping can be found. The other item comes from Canada where, from .June 1, all cheddar cheese made in Ontario and Quebec for export must be sent to Britain. GANG LEADER LYNCHED LONDON, May 27 The Milan radio says that Gennarine Boscolo, former captain of the "Black Brigands" gang, held responsible for 30 murders aroimd Venice, was seized by a mob while being transferred from one prison to another, and lynched.