DANZIG MOVES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21359, 31 May 1939, Page 10

DANZIG MOVES

“Butter Not Hitler”

A Putsch Not Likely "Down with Hitler! Heil butter!” Danzigers were invited to shout at the celebration of the Nazi Fuhrer's fiftieth birthday anniversary, radios Jerry Szapiro from Danzig to the "New York Times." The still large anti-Nazi group distributed this new "German greeting." printed in thousands of leaflets ridiculing Chancellor Adolf Hitler and National Socialism in a rhymed "German prayer" all over the city, despite numerous arrests. Many posters giving the programme for the festivities were torn down during the night. Eight persons were arrested and charged with conspiracy to overthrow the Nazi Government of Danzig Among them were two political police agents. Uniformed Nazis returning from a torchlight parade clashed with a group of workmen in the port. Two Nazis were seriously injured. Nazis retaliated by smearing the windows of Polish shops with a malodorous substance. “Poles get out” was painted on doors of a Polish school in a Danzig suburb. No Orders from Berlin Nazi Storm Troopers kept vigil all night, waiting for “orders from Berlin." which did not arrive. The state of emergency for party units continued until noon the following day. Otherwise, quiet reigned. Nazis marched in honour of their Fuhrer. arranged big luncheons, held many meetings, and paraded through an illuminated city which remained indifferent and apathetic. The Putsch in the form of a proclamation of Danzig's return to the Reich, originally announced for the day. it was rumoured again, has been postponed until after Chancellor Hitler's geichstag speech. “It will not happen then," according to cne well-informed neutral observer. “In the past two years six times the return of Danzig to the Reich and innumerable Putsches has been prophesied, but nothing has happened.” For explanation the observer pointed to a map. His argument ran thus:— Danzig could not be defended against the Poles, and Danzigers would not risk accupation of their city by Polish i forces massed in large numbers at all gateways. I The Poles would consider any Putsch | as much a casus belli as any German attempt to sicze the Free City, for it is clear Danzig Nazis will do nothin? without permission from Berlin headquarters. Therefore responsibility for a Putsch would remain with the Government, and the Pcles would reply with I immediate occupation. Occupation could easily be carried out by the overwhelmingly large Polish forces concentrated on the borders of i the Free City. Danzig could muster’ I but a few thousand police and Storm I Troopers, which would be no match for | the well-equipped regular Polish army. Communications Held Furthermore, the Poles control the : important railway junction of Tzew ! and the bridge over the Vistula River ' and could enter this city by three raill roads and seven roads. i The Germans possess only a few secondary roads frem East Prussia, but not bridges or railroads. Th. Poles could enter Danzig hours befor" the I Germans in case of an outbreak Moreover. Danzig would be target for the long-range coasts', c'i.g from the Polish Peninsula of H . on the north-west. Danzig could be occupied or destroyed, by the Pel ts tn a few hours. Th.-? N.- ‘t wish to risk a confiect with Poland Their only hope it would seem in responsible party circles, is some sort of compromise with Poland saving the face of Nazi D unable to fulfil their premises of return to the Reich. Leading Nazi op::' en w accurately reflected m a special birthday issue of the "Vorpostcn in whichc the onlv reference to Danzig's international “Our Gaulei'er Nazi District Leader* i Alfred Forster, repre r g the population of a country which, against its will, must live outside the Reich, will orescent our wishes to the Fuhrer and will demonstrate to the world the union , of this old German city with Great Germany." | Tlie "Vorposten” reproduced the scroll conferring honorary Danzig citizenship on Herr Hitler presented by Dr Forster in Berlin. The scroll was | signed by Free City Senators, but Arthur Greiser. the Senate leader, was not in the delegation that went to | Berlin.