A GHASTLY EPISODE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10522, 25 February 1920, Page 2

A GHASTLY EPISODE

MUNICH MASSACRE AN APPALLING STORY OF SAVAGE BRUTALITY. A trial which came to an end at Atuuich last month unveiled all tho details of what is perhaps tho most ghastly episode of the German revolution. Apart from its intrinsic horror, tho case is interesting us a characterisation of the psychology of the time in which we live. To those who read its lessons aright it will throw a good deal of light ou the most puzzling phenomena of tho last five years.

On tho evening of Alay 6th, when tho last sparks of the Bolshevik resistance wore still being stamped out in the streets of Alunich, it was reported to Captain von Stutterheim, of the Ist Company of the Alexander Regiment, that an illegal mooting was being held at a house iu the district for the safety of which ho was responsible, and ho gave orders that those present at tho gathering should be taken into custody. That was apparently his duty, as martial law prevailed in Alunich, and meetings without tho special consent of the military authorities wore illegal, A squad of soldiers was dispatched to tho scene of the gathering, and, with levelled revolvers and shouts of “Hands up!” they burst into a room where twentysix young men had assembled. Tho company in the room were evidently very much surprised at this sudden and violent intrusion. They explained that they were members of St. Joseph’s Catholic Recreation Club; that their association had a purely religious basis; and that it was not politics, but the most innocent forms of amusement that had brought them together that evening. All their protests were, however, ,in vain. Probably without realising it, they had broken the regulations of martial law, and there was nothing for it but to march them off. They were taken to Captain von Stutterheim, to whom they repeated their story. He, too, did not consider himself competent to do anything for them, and gave orders that they should be delivered into the collar of Prince George’s Palace, which had been set apart as a temporary gaol. The sight of a large party of civilian* being escorted through the streets by soldiers attracted attention, and aroused the natural assumption that the prisoners were Sparticists, and therefore partners in guilt for the many acts of trcachez'oua murder which had, stained the last few days of Red rule' in tho Bavarian capita). A large crowd, mostly composed of ’soldiers of other detachments, closed in round tho little convoy, and the prisoners became the butts of an cverincreasing lire of ill-treatment and abuse. Kicks and cuffs were showered upon them, and they were assailed with every kind of foul word. Feeling against them was roused to the point of fury when, a sudden shot was heard, and a soldier in fho medical 3 corps in tho escort fell dead. In the excitement of the moment the enraged crowd believed that one of tho prisoners had fired. Captain von Stutterheim, who had followed the convoy at a distance from TOO to 200 paces, turned back when ho saw the’ prisoners enter the courtyard of the palace, and n ent oft to report his capture. In view of the frenzied state of the crowd this perfunctory execution of his duties is somewhat surprising, “for something like what actually happened was only to be expected, FRENZIED SOLDIERS.

As the prisoners were led into the courtyard a large portion of the crowd surged through the gates with them, arid at once shots began to pour m upon the helpless club members. The escort seems to have taken no active part in the massacre. On the contrary, there was seine evidence that H attempted to shield its captives from their assailants. Its efforts were not, however, very successful, for : seven prisoners were left dead in the courtyard when the bulk of the party was got down into the cellar. The grisly details of the tragedy are thrown into higher relief by the factt that it was enacted in one of the finest residential buildings in Munich and one in which a member of the Royal House had formerly occupied a largo flat. Among the soldiers who had joined the convoy as it passed along the streets were JTakoh Muller, a young butcher, who belonged to the Bayreuth Volunteers, and a non-commis-sioned officer named Makoivski. These were the two chief defendants at the trial. Muller was undoubedly to some extent under the influence of liquor, his company having received a liberal ration of wine with their evening meal. One witness went so for as to say that the entire company was affected by this indulgence, if not actually drunk. Makowski placed himself at the entrance to the vaults, and struck each of the prisoners right and loft in the face as ho passed down the stairs. Then eight or ton soldiery, including Makowski and Muller, followed ,down into the cellar. What took place in the cellar was one of those scenes which it defies the power of words to describe. Makowski ordered the nineteen surviving members of the club to lie down -with their faces to the floor. The wretched men obeyed. Hardly had they done so when the soldiers began to empty their revolvers into them. Those of the prisoners who had not been killed or incapacitated by tho first volley jumped to their feet and screamed for mercy. Their appeals fell upon not only deafened but maddened oars. Muller, in particular, behaved with demoniacal fury- Ho pulled out his swordbayonet and slashed about with it in a blind paroxysm at both living and dead. When ho had blunted its edge with this ghastly work he snatched nway tho bayonet of one of his comrades and laid on with that. CRAZY MURTffiREES. Individuals inside and outside tho collar appear to havo» made attempts to chock this frenetic slaughter, hut tho only effect of their protests was that they theinfjclvos were threatened with de.ath. Tho murderers were intoxicated with tho thirst for blood, and were impervious to pleas and commands. When, not one of the victims remained on Ids feet, the soldiers pranced about on the prostrate bodies, stamping on heads and faces and plunging their bayonets into anyone who still showed signs of life. "He is still alive,” Muller and Makowsld were hoard to shout, "away with him!” Having satisfied themselves that the prisoners wore all dead, the soldiers executed a

wild dance of triumph over the corpses. 'IVo of the murderers, according to the statement of witnesses, carried out this dance of death in one another’s arms, ali tho while ‘'howling; like savages.” Jn all, five of the prisoners survived the massacre. Ono was saved by a soldier who accidentally recognised him as an acquaintance, and tlie remaining four either were rendered unconscious by their wounds or had tho presence of mind to realise that their lives depended .on absolute motionlessness. During the last stage ot the massacre the colonel of the 61st Hegimont, who had heard what was happening, appeared on the scene. He was crossing the courtyard t° descend to the cellar, when two officers shouted to him a warning that it would be dangerous to interfere. The men were, they said, in a state of .madness, and absolutely out of control. Apparently, however, the colonel at last got the soldiers out of the cellar, and talked to them. He found that some of thorn were evidently quite under the impres? sion that they had rendered society a good service by ridding it of e,o many Sparta.cists. Later, Muller and two or three others reported themselves cheerfully and nroudly to their company officer, with tho words, ''Just back from killing twenty-one Spantacists.” At thp trial it was mad© quite clear that the soldiers , had received definite instructions that Spartacists were not to bo killed unless taken with arms in their hands. Nevertheless, the indictment was not for murder, but only for manslaughter Muller and JMakcwski, both of whom wore described by their officers as exemplary soldiers but of excitable temperament} were sentenced to fourteen years’ penal servitude, which is one year short of the maximum punishment. There were only two other defendants,- and one .of these "was acquitted, while the other received ono year’s imprisonment.