HITLER’S ORDER

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22245, 14 January 1944, Page 3

HITLER’S ORDER

SHOOTING OF FASCISTS

MUSSOLINI SILENT

SCENES AT EXECUTION

(United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Jan. 12 ! Mussolini not participate in ; the trial of Count Ciano and the | other Fascists who were condemned to death and executed. Neither did he submit a statement to the tribunal. | says the Zurich correspondent of the i Daily Telegraph, quoting reports | frem Italy. I The firing party of 20 Blackshirt ! volunteers shot the condemned men, j all of whom were accorded the I privilege of not being shot in the i back. They refused to have their eyes bound. After the last volley had been fired i the major in command of the firing j party lifted Ciano’s body and said. I “Justice is done. Long live the Duce.” Ciano’s remains will be placed in the family vault at Leghorn. The correspondent adds that the ! order tor the executions is believed i to have come direct from Hitler. The true reasons why the death penalty was enforced can be found in the Reich’s Internal conditions. It is desired to cool the ardour of the antiNazi military cliques who might be contemplating a coup d’etat such as ; led to the overthrow of Mussolini.