Hitler's Spirit Still Lives
HOOK, SIDNEY
Hitler's Spirit Still Lives Czechoslovaks Perpetrate Atrocities Against Sudeten Germans By Sidney Hook IN one ut Hitlera last speeches h« pieiln ie<l that even it defeated his spirit would still...
...the spirit of Ilitlerism has flown from the Berlin Chancellory to the government offices of Prague...
...It is not only We Who are con cerned...
...It is ironical to observe that f he attack on Czechoslovakia was one of the occasions for the war against Germany...
...They arrested thousands on trumped-up charges...
...c) no person marked with the Swastika is allowed to use (he sidewalk—they may move only on the roadway...
...anyone who speaks German is subject to treatment 1 would never have believed any Czechs capable of instigating...
...LOCAL NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR PRAGUE XII...
...The same punishment will also be meted out to those who abet these persons in any way or associate with them for any purpose whatsoever...
...Are we, the victors against Ihe Nazis, now committed to silence because some of our allies imitate the Nazi methods...
...For dealings with authorities the time between 7:30 and H:30 a. m. is exclusively fixed for these persons in all offices...
...The President of (he Republic...
...Conspiracy of Silence...
...Benes, posing as a sincere democrat, w>» shown many inaiks of favor by the American people and its government...
...Citizens, workers and toiling people...
...On September 2nd, 1938, we offered them the so-called 'Fourth Plan.' Therefore I earnestly advise out Germans to consider this once again...
...b) no person marked with the Swastika is allowed to use tramway cars except when they go direct to work, then they must do so in the trailer...
...The presidium of the Local National Committee for Prague XII has therefore decided to solve the question of Germans, Hungarians and traitors as follows: 1. The term "German" in all its forms will henceforth be written only with small letters, likewise the term "Hungarian...
...I reproduce herewith a translation of a typical poster displayed in Prague...
...h) all persons with the entry "D" in their Certificates appear without delay before the said Investigation Commission irrespective of whether they have perhaps received a provisional certificate concerning freedom of movement etc...
...1 a moment of extreme importance for I hem and for us...
...f) no person marked with the Swastika is allowed to be away from his or her home after 8 p. m...
...further, they surrender at the same time all wireless sets together with their licences...
...They decreed that a Swastika patch be worn by all Ormana, that (hey were not to use the tramway cars except in trailers on the way te farced labor, that tbey could walk ealy ia the getter, denied them the right te normal rations, perckase ef newspapers, use of schools and pub fie facilities ef aay kind, attendance at «memas, theatres, lectures, barred I hem from the streets after 8 p. m., etc...
...seats must not be used by these persons...
...Now, revealed as a traducer of the life-work of Masaryk, he should feel the weight of American indignation...
...Early in .Sepieniber, 1938, we had in our negotiations with our Germans rome to a point where it was necessary In do something absolutely derisive...
...When I was imprisoned in a German concentration camp I knew that it would be the hardest thing on earth to make people abroad believe that such incredible crimes are actually committed...
...Since these border regions were among the more prosperous sections of the country, a new gold rush is on...
...All the gi eat newspapers in our country engage in an almost conspiratnrg silence on what goes on in Czechoslovakia...
...The government which before the Munich episode of 1938 pleaded with truth that Heniein's Nazis were only a smalt minority of, the Sudeten regions and that the German population on the whole was content and loyal, has now decided to uproot it entirely...
...The fir at thing they did was to place all persons with records of Nazi activity in jail—where they properly belonged...
...Kdtiard Benes, at Lidice on June 101 la...
...No person marked with the Swatstika will receive normal, ration cards...
...When the process of mass uprooting and expulsion got under way, no distinction was made between old and young, men, women and children—all were given three hours notice to park what they could carry (they hail previously been stripped of valuables) befoie being driven to unknown destinations in Soviet-occupied Germany...
...The Czech government, under the leadership of Kduaid Benes, the avowed disciple of Masaryk (who proclaimed that "Democracy is not a mere political form, it is a way of life"), has adopted down to its finest nuance the llitlerian technique of persecution and mass expulsion Innocent men and women including tens of thousands of German Democrats, Socialists, and Jews who ware anti-Nazi, are being degraded and martyred ia an attempt to make Czechoslovakia "raasenretn...
...In other sections of the country anti-Semitism is rampant, openly encouraged by government officials on the alleged ground that the older Jewish generation—even of Czech citizens—"was educated in the German spirit...
...The same applies to persons who entered- "IF* in columni6 (nationally) of their Registration Certificate...
...But the atrocities now being committed by Czech partisans, anil the decrees issued by the Czech government do not distinguish between fascist and democratic Sudetens...
...Those who fail ?? report in the set time, and who will be met without the proper badge as prescribed, will be severely punished in the way the Nazi authorities adopted in similar cases...
...The same brave democratic Sudetens who fought side by side with the Czech partisans in lhe underground are now being herded together with Sudeten Fascists in Czech concentration camps, tortured as the Nazis tortured l.beni...
...evidence that—of all places...
...They then imposed upon the three millions, against whom no charge could be concocted, the identical status which the Germans imposed upon the Jews, preparatory to expelling them in drqves from their villages and cities which had been their homes for centuries...
...Sidney Hook in a dintinguiahed philosopher and eduralor, the Chairman ut the Department of Philosophy at Washington Square College, New York University and Ihe author »mime ether books of "Metaphysics of Pragmatism," "Reason, Social Mylau and Democracy...
...At the same time they submit a proper list of all their roperty and hand it over, together with all valuables, to the Trustee of National Property of the N.C.XII., likewise also Savings Books and bank or other deposits, if any...
...Whole villages were depopulated...
...They revived the whole ratalogue ef Nazi atrocities againat people who had committed no crime except being born in the German minority...
...Shopping time for these persons is exclusively between 11 a. m. and 1 p. m., and between 3 and 4 p. m. For disregarding the times so defined ' both buyer and seller will be liable to the same punishment...
...e) no person marked with the Swastika is allowed to stay in, or proceed through, public gardens or parks, or woods, they are not allowed to call at or use barbers* shops, restaurants, places of amusement of any kind, especially theatfes, cinemas, lectures etc-, likewise they are not allowed to use laundries, cleaners' shops and rolling-presses...
...The Sudeten German population is being treated in exactly the same fashion, with the sr>ine cruelty with which the Nazis treated first the democratic Germans and later almost, nil of Kurope...
...this applies also to sub-tenants, if any, of such persons...
...And our Germans experience what they have prepaid...
...and 'The Hero in History...
...they report whether and in what way they have any capital interests, submitting proper evidence...
...Chairman...
...Until the process can be carried to completion, it has converted the German minority into slaves beyond the protection of law, devoid even of the rights of second-class citizens...
...From Kurope comea the startling...
...g) all persons over 14 years of age with the entry "IV in their Registration Certificate report at once, at the latest within two days, to the Control and Report Commission of the I..N.G...
...After the Allies defeated Germany, the Czecha descended upon Sddeteti-laad...
...But they did not stop at this...
...These infamous actions, accompanied by thousands of excesses and outrages which eyewitnesses report have appalled even tough Red Army officers, have been taken not only against innocent Sudeten Germane but against members of the Hungarian minority, too...
...Hitler's Spirit Still Lives Czechoslovaks Perpetrate Atrocities Against Sudeten Germans By Sidney Hook IN one ut Hitlera last speeches h« pieiln ie<l that even it defeated his spirit would still live on in the coun-tries of the victors...
...The Czech Government seeks to corrupt the democratic sentiments of its own people by inviting them to help themselves to the land, homes and property of the victims...
...We will, in accordance with the principles of our Government, carry out a proper purge and establish order at least in our district...
...for themselves by I heir doings...
...Oldrich II las...
...They avenged Lidice by perpetrating hundreds of other Lidices...
...the Germans are not entitled to tobacco supplies, and they are not allowed to smoke in public or while working...
...The details are'so gruesome thst they would be incredible were they not substantiated by overwhelming evidence supplied by the Czechs themselves...
...Let us remember that among the victim* of Hitleviem are not only those who hare been murdered but also those whose moral sensibilities have been so blunted by Nazi crimes that they can no longer be stirred to protest against injustices and atrocities committed by nthci*i...
...Out Germans cannot complain that they have not been warned in time...
...Any financial transactions are forbidden and void...
...for Prague XII (exact address) for the issue of their badges and for registration...
...By Gerhart H. Seger AS the editor of the oldest anti-Nazi newspaper published in German ^language in this country, I am now receiving heart-rending reports, lay by day, from Czechoslovakia...
...in order to restore common human decency and justice the Nazis should be brought to trial...
...When Hitler descended on Prague, English public opinion veered to support of military actions against him and the guarantee of Poland's border was officially given...
...Therefore help us, you too, to make Vinohrady national and ours as soon as possible...
...If this treatment were meted out only to the ileniem followers, the fascist Sudetens, one could say ?-'y get what was coming to them, al-llinugh I do not believe that this win lias been fought merely to put Nazi.°m In reverse...
...d) no person marked with the Swastika is allowed to buy, subscribe to, or read daily or other newspapers...
...These measures are only temporary, pending the deportation of all these people...
...The Czech Government did not have even the shameless pretext the Nazis gave for the destruction of Lidice which wrung the heart <tf decent people everywhere...
...Citizens of Vinohrady...
...THE WHOLE GERMAN NATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LIDICE...
...2. To Germans, Hungarians and traitors apply in future these provisions— a) ail persons who come under the category German, Hungarian, traitor or collaborator will wear on the left side visibly on white canvas, size 10:10 cm., a Swastika together with the number under which they will be registered, and that from the fourteenth year of age...
...1945: "I hold (he German nation as a whole responsible for Nazism and for all i tu crimes...
Vol. 28 • October 1945 • No. 40
