KNOWS NO BOUNDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24261, 1 April 1940, Page 6

KNOWS NO BOUNDS

THE GREED OF NAZISM CZECH NATION RUINED PLIGHT OF THE WORKER (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Mar. 29. Details of German attempts at the destruction of the Czechoslovak nation were given by Dr Benes, who, in a speech in London, said the greed of Nazi-ism knew no bounds. In the months following the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Nazis took away all war material, enormous reserve supplies of grain, industrial and agricultural produce in general, everything on which they could lay their hands.

The value of property thus plundered, in the first three months of occupation was calculated at about £30,000,000.

Jews in Czechoslovakia were plundered, but the so-called Aryanisation was released in such a way that no single niece was confiscated or transferred. Jewish property could be given to Czech citizens, thus almost the whole of the Czechoslovak banks had been confiscated, the monetary system endangered,, and the industrial and banking system put under control of German directors.

Dr Benes described as absolutely incredible the cases of private robbery and theft carried out by the Gestapo. Czechs’ houses were searched, and everything valuable, even foodstuffs, confiscated. Every other Gestapo agent in Czech lands robbed for his own personal benefit and allowed himself. to be bribed. The Czech working classes had been dragged down even below the level of German workers. The social and economic situation of the Czech lands, he said, was misery, impoverishment, and complete ruin.