Thousands Of Germans Are Soviet Prisoners

Chronicle (Levin), 11 February 1948, Page 3

Thousands Of Germans Are Soviet Prisoners

(N.Z-F-A- — Reurer Ccwi/rtaTit) E-eceived Tuesday, 7.0 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 10. Th.e special correspondent of tne Daily Telegraph, Mr. R. H. C. Steed, says in a leader page article, that Eussian concentration camps in the Soviet zone of Germany at present hold between 200,000 and 300,000 prisoners not ineluding convictod Nazis. The largest camps a're at Buchenwald and Oranienburg, Sachscnhausen, both notorious from Hitler days. The correspondent alleges that b6iween 5000 and 0000 prisoners have died in Oraiiienburg during the past 18 months. • The two chief categories of prisoners are Social Democrats and ex-officers of the Wehrmaeht retiring from the west. x\t one ,time, says the correspondent over 2000 ex-German officers were knawn to be in Oranienburg and eventually the tit numbering about 1000 were forciblv deported to Eussia. The correspondent claims forcible depoi'tation is conimon and that at one time during the spring of last year deportations numbered more than 5000 weekly. Many thousands of skilled German vvorkers have been deported to Russia at a few hoiirs' notice in order to run. machines which the Russians have dismantled and removed from their zone. Thousands more have been drafted for forced worlc under dangerous and primitive conditions in the German uranium mines. The correspondent further alleges that the Russians are building up the l Communist domiiiated German Social I Unitv Party by a carefully organised ' system of intimidation.- This includes j t'hreatening Germarts who refuse to join j the Party, with the loss of jobs and promises to former Nazis to expedite : denazilication proceedings against them if they join the Social Unity organisation. The correspondent claims that 20 per cent. of the menibership of the Party is coinposed of former Nazis.