THREAT BY GERMANS

Southland Times, Issue 25537, 4 December 1944, Page 5

THREAT BY GERMANS

Reprisals Against French Prisoners LONDON, December 2. The German High Command has issued a statement over the Berlin radio, declaring that Germany is undecided “whether she can in future adhere to the the Geneva and Hague Conventions and other international rules of war because of the enemy’s ever-increasing violations of international agreements.” The German High Command commented on the threat by General Jacques Le Clerc, commander of the 2nd French Armoured Division, to execute five German hostages for every Frenchman killed in Strasbourg by snipers. “There are many hundreds of thousands of French prisoners and other Frenchmen in Germany,” says the statement. “If General Le Clerc and General de Gaulle want to carry out reprisals against the international rules of war they must know Germany will make use of the strongest reprisals.” GENERAL LE CLERC’S THREAT Announcement By SHAEF (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, December 2. General Jacques Le Clerc’s proclamation threatening to shoot German hostages has prompted an immediate announcement from SHAEF that the Allied armies are operating in conformity with the Geneva Convention, reports the Paris correspondent of The Times. Article Two of the Convention prohibits reprisals against war prisoners. Reuter’s Paris correspondent says that the latest development in the controversy is an official statement from the 6th Army Group that General Le Clerc and his troops have now left Strasbourg on other operations. This appears to mean that General Le Clerc’s proclamation is automatically cancelled as he is no longer in control of the city.