NAZIS IN AUSTRIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21980, 15 June 1933, Page 7

NAZIS IN AUSTRIA

HITLER’S CHIEF EMISSARY ARRESTED AFTER STRUGGLE (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) VIENNA, June 13. Herr Habicht, who is regarded as Herr Hitler’s chief emissary in Austria, was arrested in his apartment at Linz after a violent struggle. The arrests of German Nazis total 80. Another dynamite outrage occurred in Vienna, several shops being damaged. Dr Dolfuss is returning to Vienna from London to-morrow owing to the Austrian crisis. RELEASE REFUSED. BERLIN, June 14. (Received June 14, at 5.5 p.m.) It is officially stated that the Government reserves action against Austria in connection with the latter’s refusal to release Herr Habicht. HUNGER STRIKE BEGUN. LONDON, June 13. (Received June 14, at 8 p.m.) The Vienna correspondent of The Times says that, Herr Habicht has begun a hunger strike. ACTION BY CABINET PREPARATIONS FOR DISTURBANCES. VIENNA, June 13. Cabinet has appointed commissars with plenary powers in Vienna and the provincial centres who will be responsible to the Government regarding security. The Ministers have issued proclamations forbidding army and police membership of Nazi organisations owing to their alleged treasonable and illegal methods. ■ Seven thousand police are concentrated in Vienna with machine guns covering the chief buildings in readiness to deal with disturbances. The police raided Herr Hitler’s birthplace at Braunau (the local Brown House) and arrested the Nazi leader. APPEAL TO POWERS PUBLIC DOUBTS DENIALS. VIENNA, June 14. (Received June 14, fit 5.5 p.m.) The public doubts the official denials that Dr Dolfuss requested Britain and other Powers to intervene in the AustroGerman conflict. HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS POWERS OF COMMISSIONERS. VIENNA, June 13. (Received June 14, at 8 p.m.) The police throughout the country closed 170 Nazi Brown Houses, questioned 3000 Nazis, and arrested 400, of whom, 40 are German citizens. Cabinet has appointed nine special security commissioners, mostly generals and colonels, who will be virtual 'dictators in their respective provinces, and will be empowered to deal with any emergency. ARREST AS REPRISAL AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL LATER RELEASED. BERLIN, June 14, (Received June 15, at 0.25 a.m.) Dr Erkin Wasserbaeck, chief of the press department of the Austrian Legation, was arrested as a reprisal against the arrest of Herr Habicht. A detach ment of secret police knocked at Dr Wnsserbaeck’s flat at 2 o’clock in the morning and told him that Herr Goering had ordered his arrest. Dr Wasserbaeck refused to open the door until he telephoned Dr Dolfuss at London. Dr Dolfuss advised that he should yield only to force. He then opened the door. Herr Tauschitz, the Austrian Minist-r, lodged a vigorous protest against Dr Wasserbaeek’s arrest, and Dr Dollfuss communicated with Baron Von Neurath in London, stating that the arrest was a violation of diplomatic rights.

Dr Wasserbaeck was later released and expelled from Germany.