THE GESTAPO

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 25, Issue 3760, 25 May 1936, Page 3

THE GESTAPO

NAZI DICTATORSHIP. POLICE NETWORK. There is a widespread belief that the Terror in Germany is no more than incidental to the National Socialist dictatorship, says a special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. This belief is entirely erroneous, for »he Terror is an integral part of the system. The Terror is coming to be exercised more and more exclusively by the secret State police, commonly known as the Gestapo.

According to a law newly enacted, head of the Gestapo is the Prussian Premier, General Goering. The actual Chief of Police is Himmler, a former schoolmaster, a man of great charm, an able organiser, and completely ruthless. Even a year ago the methods of the Gestapo were amateurish. But during the past year the tion has become more proficient. It is now one of the most efficient instruments of tyrannical power in the world. Interlocking Departments. It is directed by a central board in Berlin. This “board” is made up of Himmler’s own office and of the following principal departments:— A department for the supervision of transport and communications on land and water. This includes spying bn employees and workmen on the railways, tramways, and so on. A department for the supervision of the illegal activities of Communists and Social Democrats.

A department for the supervision and control of all persons and organisations that do not belong td the National Socialist party, especially of persons who belong to the former Centre, Nationalist, People’s and 5 Democratic parties.

A department for the supervision of the National Socialist party, of all affiliated organisation, and of all clubs and associations that have had to accept absorption by National Socialist bodies. This department also sees to the protection of leading persons in the State and in the National Socialist party. A department for defence against economic, industrial and military espionage.

The following sub-departments are independent of the Federal Boards, and are affiliated to the central boards:—

A sub-department for the supervision of emigres. A sub-department for the supervision of aliens and “Staatenlose.”

A sub-department for the control of letters, telegrams, telephone calls that pass between Germany and the outside world. Letters and telegrams are liable to be opened and telephone calls to be overheard in Germany without an order from a judge or a magistrate.

A sub-department for the supervision of political suspects. A sub-department for the supervision of political opponents in the Federal police. This last department exists because the dictatorship is not sure of the ordinary police, who, in the days of the republic, contained numbers of Social Democrats as well as members of the Centre and Nationalist parties. The special task of the department is to be informed by means of spies and agents provocateurs about any disaffection that may exist among the police forces of the Federal States. A further special department is the observation, department, which is subdivided into the following departments: —

A general department for public security.

A department for the supervision of the big factories and industrial centres.

The general department has a special importance. It exercises a close vigilance over the entire population of Germany through the millions of members of the National Socialist party. It is the duty of every member to report every sign of disaffection to his superiors. This duty is often ignored, but National Socialists who take it seriously are numerous enough to form a close network of spies all over Germany. The most important of these spies are the Blockwarte, the counterpart of the Home Commandants in Russia. Each one is held responsible for whatever happens in the block of fiats or in the row of houses, entrusted to his supervision. He is expected to know the political opinions of every inmate. The general department also include the “intelligence” of the Black Shirts, which exercise a special supervision over the National Socialist party. In touch with the Gestapo is the Air Defence League, to which everybody in urban Germany has to belong. It exists not only for defence against air raids but also for controlling the opinions and activities of the population. It supplements the work of the ordinary Blockwarte, and the musters, drills and cellai- and house inspections, and so on that are ostensibly carried out for the sake of discipline and safety in case of air raids provide unlimited opportunity for spying and eavesdropping. Detecting Disaffection. The department for the supervision of the Black Shirts is extended to de-

tect the disaffection that has existed ever since the disillusionment of the first year of the dictatorship, and more especially since June 30, 1934, when so many of its leaders were executed.

The department for the supervision of factories has a very large staff of officials and agents. These agents, often workmen themselves, mix with employees and workmen. Many of them are members of the Works Councils and often talk in hostile terms of the dictatorship, thus acting as decoys. Many of them have begun illegal or underground movements, pretending to be Communists or Socialists, and they circulate illegal literature, so as to detect all who are willing to join such movements.

This department is also concerned with the prevention of sabotage as well as with industrial counter-espion-age.

A special force attached to Gestapo is a kind of gendarmery, which was organised by General Goering. Its members are chiefly of the gangster type. It is used for raids, for wholesale arrests, and for actions that may have a dangerous character. There are several so-called special commandos. Some of them consist of only a few men. They take part in all kinds of political actions and exist inside various departments. Some of these Commandos exist even outside Germany. The Gestapo keeps a large number of women who act as spies and propagandists. They are to be found in cafes and night clubs as well as at balls and banquets attended by foreign diplomats. A vast amount of political information collected by the Gestapo accumulates to Hitler’s private office, which is directed by an old associate of his named Bouhler.

Affiliated with the Gestapo is the bureau of the Chief. Party Magistrate, which is directed by Major Buch. This bureau can strike at the most influential persons. Major Buch took a leading part in the executions of June 30, 1934. The bureau of the leader of the National Socialist party, Hess, also has a special department called a Liaison Staff, for the special control of the party bureaucracy and of the delegations which the party sends to foreign to foreign countries from time to time.

The Gestapo also has agents in London, Paris, Prague, Vienna, and other capitals. These agents are largely resident members of the National Socialist party (every member of that party is a potential spy) and nondescript persons, many of them women.

A good deal of spying done by German agents outside Germany is amateurish, but some of its agents have become very efficient. The Gestapo keeps a dossier of every not-

able person in London and elsewhere who is regarded as hostile to the National Socialist dictatorship. The information in the dossier, is, as a rule, surprisingly accurate, detailed, and up to date.