PRISON CAMP INCIDENT

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22682, 9 August 1945, Page 8

PRISON CAMP INCIDENT

ALLEGATION OF MURDER DEATH OF NON=NAZI (United Press Assn.—Klee. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Aug. 7 A military court in London began the trial of four German war prisoners charged with murdering their fellow prisoner, the non-com-missioned officer Gerhardt Rettig. The accused were three N.C.O’s. and a private Emil Schmittendorf, Annin Kuehne, Heinz Ditzler and Juergen Kersting. They are accused of deliberately inflicting such injuries on Rettig in the camp near Sheffield on March 24 that he died about two hours later. The prosecution alleged that Rettig, a non-Nazi, communicated with the British guards, as a result of which the camp leader spoke to Rettig and a friend, also a non-Nazi. Rettig and his friend were packing their kits preparatory to leaving the hut when Rettig was kicked and beaten by about 100 prisoners, of whom the four accused were the ringleaders. The crowd later grew to 500, which cornered Rettig near the rubbish tip. He was last seen lying on the ground with Kuehne and Schmittendorf hitting and kicking him. The crowd melted awav when warning was given that the guards were coming. Rettig’s injuries caused haemorrhage of the brain resulting in death. The accused pleaded not guilty. The names of 14 other prisoners giving evidence are being kept secret.