PROTECTOR OF JEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23287, 24 August 1945, Page 5

PROTECTOR OF JEWS

Claim By Quisling Trial Proceeding By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (7.30 p.m.) LONDON. Aug. 22. Quisling pictured himself as the protector of the Jews during today’s hearing of his trial for treason. He told the Court that he worked closely with Jewish world organisations during the German occupation and helped Jews escape to Sweden. He tried to prevent the confiscation of their fortunes. Quisling professed complete ignorance of German persecution of Jews and Norwegian patriots, and denied that he had eyer read about the persecution of the Jews in Europe. There was a murmur of incredulity in the Court when Quisling denied knowledge of tortures in the dreaded concentration camp at Grini, or of the starvation to death in Germany. Accused declared that the treatment both of prisoners and of the Jews was a German responsibility. His Government had been kept out of what he called the Jewish question. Quisling maintained that the Hirdmen (stormtroops) were an innocent, political organisation only carrying out oolice duties. He denied that the Hirdmen were given arms or operated against their fellow countrymen. The prosecutor (Mr Schjoedt) read a letter from Quisling to Hitler, dated July 10, 1940, in which the accused referred to his fight for the “great Germanic community.”

Judge Solent asked what he meant by "great Germanic community” and Quisling replied: “A corporation of Nordic and Scandinavian States with all other Germanic peoples, that is, Germany. Britain, France and America. Mr Schjoedt interrupted that in a memorandum dated October 25, 1940, Quisling gave another explanation of the phrase, “great Germanic community.” He had referred to Norway as an independent kingdom bound to the Reich, and also referred to the common foreign policy of the German Supreme Command over the defence system of the entire federation, the German Fuhrer to be president of the Federation, and the stabilisation of Norwegian currency based on Berlin.

Quisling admitted writing the memorandum, and said his object was to try to put the brake on German plans for the incorporation of Norway into the Reich. He was then fighting against the German interpretation of a Germanic community. Quisling engaged in frequent clashes with the judges, and the Court ended the long tirade of his Nordic beliefs by ordering him to sit down. Quisling claimed that his second Government force of September 25, 1940, was 100 per cent Norwegian, and was in reality fighting the Germans. Laughter broke Out in the Court when he asserted that he ordered Quisling guards to fight alongside the Germans against the Allied invasion force to satisfy the Germans and thus save the Norwegian underground forces from being rounded up. Mr Schjoedt charged Quisling with the murder of Viggo Hansteen, the Norwegian underground hero, which Quisling, with a sob in his voice, denied. Hansteen, whose widow is a member of the present Norwegian Government, was murdered by the Germans in 1941. Tire prosecutor accused Quisling of responsibility ,for asking the Germans to get rid of Hansteen because of his leadership of the 1941 strike. Nazi Party Files Nazi Party files in Germany provided additional evidence against Quisling earlier in the hearing. The prosecutor. Mr Schjoedt, accused Quisling of failing in his duty and loyalty as a Norwegian officer when mobilisation was ordered in 1940. He said Quisling was on the reserve, with the rank of major, after retiring from the army in 1938.

Quisling rose and replied that he told the commander-ln-chief in 1939 that he did not wish to serve as an officer under the then Government. Mr Schjoedt produced documents found in Germany as evidence of treasonable activities In 1940 by Quisling and his agent, Hagelin. One document concerned a meeting between Quisling and Hagelin and the German General Staff in 1939. It mentioned Quisling’s preparations to take over key posts in Norway when the Germans invaded. Other Nazi documents nrnduced outlined Quisling’s information to German naval officers.

The prosecutor explained that the German Fleet, under cover of an exercise, planned action against the Norwegian coast based on information from Quisling and his friends. Mr Schjoedt then read a medical certificate stating that Quisling was sane. , , Quisling, replying to the judge, denied that he negotiated with German naval and military chiefs in the way suggested by the reports. He was convinced that the Germans would come to Norway if Britain and France attacked Norway. His efforts were directed towards making German occupation as smooth as possible, and, in other words, have the Germans arrive before the British and the French.