“A FRENCH CAPTIVE”

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1932, Page 7

“A FRENCH CAPTIVE”

GERMAN’S MASQUERADE.

“Oskar Daubmann” set all Germany agog last May when he returned to his native Endingen and his aged parents with a story of having escaped from French captivity in Northern Africa, where he said he had slaved since the war. He had been listed as missing in an army bulletin in 1918, and no more was heard? about him, . says the New York Times. . “Daubmann” was, feted as a returned hero at public receptions. Journalists came to write > his story. The national Press seethed with indignation against France, especially the Nazi organ, Der Angriff. ■ • ■■■ ',• . ' ' Even the Liberal Press urged an official investigation. Might there not be other forgotten German war prisoners unlawfully detained by France? Herr Daubmann threatened to become an international complication.' The German Government asked the French Government for information. The French Government declared it had- no record of any Oskar Daubmann.-.The German police became suspicious.

Now “Oskar-Daubmann.” . has been arrested on his way to deliver a lecture. The police took his finger prints. These and other evidence identified him as Karl Ignatz Hummel, of Offenbach, a tailor with a prison record and a fugitive from-justice; . '' The imftoster.' confessed his identity and related that, finding- himself ,penniless in Naples, he hit on the idea of representing himself to ■' the German Consul as Oskar Daubmann, who had been his classmate, as an easy way of getting shipped back to Germany. He declared he had too intention of keeping up the sham, but, , finding himself the centre of so much ado, found it impossible to break' away. ' ’ ■. . The mother of Oskar Daubmann in.Endingen/still tearfully insists the false Oskar is,'her son. .. The Baden Government will transmit a report on the case to the Reich’s Foreign Office, which will explain to the French Government. '