FRENCH DEMOLISH TWO SOVIET RADIO TOWERS IN BERLIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26958, 18 December 1948, Page 7

FRENCH DEMOLISH TWO SOVIET RADIO TOWERS IN BERLIN

NZPA—Copyright

Rec. 8 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 17. The Russian-controlled Radio Berlin went off the air when the station’s two large antenna towers in the French sector of the city were blown up by French engineers early yesterday. Station officials refused to comment on the demolition.

Brigadier-general Jean Ganeval, French commandant in Berlin, said that the two towers, 250 and 400 feet high,, were demobilised because they were a “ very great danger ” to airlift planes coming in by radar. “ I could no longer accept the responsibility for possible accidents, consequently I executed to-day the decision taken some time ago to demolish the towers,” he said. The demolition took place without incident. Brigadier-general Ganeval said the director of Berlin Radio was informed on November 26 that action would be taken yesterday. The radio authorities thus were given ample opportunity to take away their installations and erect them in another place. Reuter says the Russian authorities seized control of the station less than a week after Germany’s capitulation. Six months ago the British military authorities served the Russians with notice to quit, but they refused. The Soviet commandant in Berlin, Major-general Kotikov, drove to the French headquarters to make a personal protest to the French commandant against the blowing up of the radio towers. General Kotikov told General Ganeval that he could not accept as satisfactory General Ganeval’s explanation that the radio towers were a danger to the air lift. General Ganeval. in a 15-minute interview, “ took note ” of General Kotikov’s protest and again assured him that the safety of the air lift had been the only consideration that made him demolish the towers. German circles close in touch with the Russian military administration unconfirmedly report that Moscow has sent direct orders to prepare for the carrying out of “ severe counter-measures.” A later message reported that the Berlin Radio came back on the air late last night, about 12 hours after its amplifying system had been destroyed by the French blowing up its radio towers. Staff members at the station refused to disclose how they managed to get back on the air on the same wave length and with apparently the same broadcasting power.