DEATH IN GERMANY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22612, 2 July 1935, Page 11

DEATH IN GERMANY

, J EXECUTIONS BY NAZIS PRISONERS BEHEADED On March 27 and 29, 23 persons, mostly Socialists and Communists, were tried in Berlin (the youngest was 19, the oldest 67 —several were women). One prisoner, a woman named Frinke. declared that she was so beaten that she was unable to appear before the examining magistrate for many days. Another prisoner, named Zimmern, withdrew the statements he had made to the police, saying that they had been wrung from him -by torture. Thereupon the court was cleared for an hour and aauarter and the cross-examination continued in camera. On the second day of the trial a police official was asked to give evidence about the torture of prisoners. But the court was again cleared while he was being heard. The prisoners behaved with great dignity and courage, and frankly fired aimed their political convictions. IJpst of them were acquitted: the rest were sentenced to terii'-s of imprisonment varying from three to five years. MANY DECAPITATIONS About 200 persons have been beheaded in Germany since the Third Realm was established. Many of the victims have been ordinary criminals, though most of them would not have Been executed under the Republic, for the death penalty was extremely rare then and in several German States it had been suspended altogether. But many of the executions under the Third Realm have simply been acts of vengeance for Nazis killed in political disorders before Hitler came into power. The evidence has in many cases been extremely doubtful and would never have led to conviction in a Western country. Several of those who have been beheaded may have taken part in disord >rs but have not been proved guilty of murder or manslaughter. The recent execution of two men alleged to have been accomplices in the killing of Horst Wessel (a procurer, who was shot in a non-poli-tical ouarrel) was simply an act of vengeance. That prisoners who are being tried for murder may have acted in selfdefence is not allowed to count in their favour. On the other hand, Nazis who kill Republicans, even if they commit deliberate, unprovoked murder, are not tried. Nazis suspected of Socialist or Communist sympathies are, of course, treated with the*utmost severity. But apart from this the law is as lenient to, Nazis as it is severe to non-Nazis. AN EXAMPLE. The following is an example of this leniency:— A gamekeeper in Pirrm.sens held up two men whom he suspected of poaching. One of them tried to run away, whereupon the gamekeeper shot him dead. It was never proved that the victim—whose name was Winuwa—had ever poached, but he did turn out to be suspect of “ Marxist ” sympathies. _ The gamekeeper turned, out to be a Nazi—he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, but was released after being detained for a tveek. The Nazis Press often tries to influence the courts, and always in the direc-

tion of severity. If the prisoner is a Jew the local press may conduct a regular campaign against him and make him appear vicious and contemptible. The Gestapo has ingenious methods for tracking political dissidents down. Two examples selected from many must suffice:— 1. In a number of factories agents of the Gestapo disguised as workmen have disseminated illegal literature and have watched for those who read it and pass it on. This method has led to many arrests.

2 A Socialist was visited by a man who showed a membership card of the Socialist Party, ae well as his discharge papers from a concentration camp. He explained that the police were again looking for him, and that he had to remain on the move. He needed money, but a little would suffice —“ comrades ”in other towns would also help. In this way he could move from place to place and so elude the police. He got a small sum, and the addresses (with instructions) to other “ comrades.” These then referred him to others. The man was an agent of the Gestapo, and was able to secure a large number of arrests. THREATS OF DISMISSAL.

Dismissal as an instrument of political intimidation is used throughout Germany. Even to be suspected of indifference towards the dictatorship may mean dismissal. It would be easy to give many examples (indeed, to do entire justice to the Terror in Germany a whole volume would have to be filled), but one example is sufficient—an order issued by the Labour Exchange in Karlsruhe which reveals the political pressure under which the entire German working class has to An employee who leaves the room before the German National Anthem or the Horst Wessel song is sung or who does not take part in processions, festivities, or other ceremonial occasions of the stall deliberately excludes himself from the national community (Volksgernenischaft) and thereby shows hostility towards the State. Dismissal without notice is thereby justified.