NAZI OUTRAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 521, 2 August 1932, Page 1

NAZI OUTRAGES.

SOCIALISTS SHOT DOWN, . BOMBS THROWN. Hitler Has Strongest Party. MAY DEMAND RIGHT TO HELP GOVERN GERMANY. United Press Assn—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received August 2, 9.50 a.m.) BERLIN, August 1. Infuriated by the election results, gangs of Nazis at Konigsberg wreaked vengeance on the Communists and Socialists in a series

of murderous outrages. 4 The recently dek . posed Governor, a,. Herr Bahrfeld, was called to the door k and shot in both ■ arms, and two P§ Socialist journalists r.- were similarly ' wounded. Two ■ Communists were shot dead in the street. Incendiary bombs

I were thrown into the offices of two Socialist newspapers. Claiming an amazing victory, Herr hitler, in a manifesto, says that the Nazis will become the strongest party in the Reichstag and must continue to fight for Germany’s freedom. Nazi headquarters say that the Nazis are determined to implement their gigantic vote of 14.000,000 and to press for the right to help govern Germany, especially in view of the Bolshevist danger revealed at the election. The state of the parties following yesterday’s poll shows the Nazis to be the strongest individual party, but until actual party affiliations are disclosed the exact position will not be known. The latest returns are:— Seats. Nazis 230 Socialists 133 Communists 89 Centra Party 76 Nationalists 37 Bavarian People’s Party .... % 22 German Nationalists, People’s Party and other small groups 45 Christian Socialists 4 State Party 4 * Peasants 2 Farmers’ Leagues 2

“ ILLUSION DESTROYED.”

Hitler Gets Only One-third of German Votes. (“ Star” Radio.) (Received August 2, 11.30 a.m.) BERLIN, August 1. Ilerr Hitler issued a proclamation to his followers declaring that they had gained a great victory and calling upon them to gather their strength for a continued battle. He also published a sort of army orders thanking his Storm Troops for their exertions during the campaign. The National-Socialist (Nazi) headquarters announce that they are very satisfied with the results, and claim that their right to assume the direction of affairs in the Reich can no longer be contested, and that the party is determined to exercise that right. The Hitlerite organ in Berlin, the “>\ngriff,” suggests that Parliamentary Government is impossible so long as Communists sit in the Reichstag and demands from the Government exceptional measures outlawing the Communist Party and getting rid of the eighty-nine Communist deputies, who impede the Parliamentary machine. The party’s official organ, “ Voelkischer Beobachter,” demands from Captain von Papen suspension of martial law over Prussia.

The German National leader, Dr Hugenberg, in a statement to his adherents, rejoices at the fact that his party has succeeded in maintaining itself so well and has thus shown anew its vital energy.

The “ Boersen Courier ” in a leader warns Hitler that his rejoicings are somewhat exaggerated, for he has only succeeded in securing the support of 37 per cent of the electorate, and seems to have exhausted his reserves, so he has no chance of ever getting a majority.

The Social-Democrat newspaper, “ Vorwaerts ” sadly reflects that the eiHire election was much ado to get a worse result than before, for, until the day when Dr Bruning was forced to retire. Germany had a Cabinet that, in emergencies, could depend on a majority of sorts in the Reichstag, whereas this was now impossible. The Centrist newspaper, “ Germania,” stresses the fact that Hitler, who is at what is apparently the apex of his power, only commands- the support of one-third of the German people—--13.000,000 out of a total of 44,000,000. The Hitlerites are, therefore, separated from power by an abyss, which there is no visible means of bridging,” it says. “ Thus have the German people by their verdict utterly destroyed the illusion awakened by the NationalSocialist claims.”