TEN THOUSAND FROM UNDERGROUND

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 94, 21 April 1944, Page 5

TEN THOUSAND FROM UNDERGROUND

RED GUERRILLAS IN ODESSA 1 THEY OUTLIVED GERMAN MASS MASSACRES Recd. 5.5 p.m. London, April 19. “Russian guerrillas in Odessa lived underground in every sense of the word,” says Reuter’s correspondent, describing a visit to Odessa catacombs, 100 feet below the city streets, from which 10,000 armetl Russians emerged on April 19 to lend a hand to the oncoming Red Army, after living through a period of killing such as few Russian cities have undergone. During the German occupation 70,000 Jews were shot, hanged or burned to death. Systematic resistance within Odessa began in January, 1943, with a small band of underground fighters. They obtained arms by devious means, buying some on a black market, where Germans and Rumanians sold weapons. The catacomb campaign began in March. 1944. when the German military took over the city, after which the guerrillas immediately went underground. One guerrilla leader said: “The Germans did not know how many of us there were. They were in a perpetual state of panic about what we were doing. On April 8 they declared a 3 p.m. curfew and ordered rii windows shut and doors open—i the window’s being shut to prevent : grenade throwing and doors were left ■ open to enable German soldiers to ; take quick cover.” i Th® catacombs contain 100 miles of ■corridors and caves, wherein the guerrillas accumulated stocks of food, built a radio station, established a printing press, installed electric |and maintained a hospital, complete with beds and linen. More than 13,000 people passed through the catacombs during their occupation. One Jewish family lived underground for 18 months without once venturing out.