KNIVES, GUNS, BOTTLES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 475, 3 October 1928, Page 9

KNIVES, GUNS, BOTTLES

GERMANS FIGHT VICIOUSLY ONE KILLED, 11 BADLY WOUNDED Times Cable. LONDON, Tuesday. The Berlin correspondent of “The Times” says warfare occurred at the week-end between semi-military political organisations. It culminated in a battle between the Reichsbanner Republicans and a Red fighting force of Communists at Geesthacht, near Hamburg. One man was killed, and 11 others were seriously wounded. Many were slightly wounded. The recent closing of a powder mill rendered idle 6,000 employees. This brought down recriminations on the town council, which resigned, necessitating an election. A large force of Communists, including Red marines, mostly wharflumpers, took up a position on the hills facing the members of the Reichbanner, who had been sent to secure an orderly election. A battle soon broke out. It was waged with knives, revolvers, bottles, aDd stones. Each side’s own ambulance attended to the wounded. Before the police could restore order the leader of the Red marines was killed. The election was abandoned. A subsequent clash in Berlin between Communists and Fascists, in the presence of a temporarily insufficient force of police, resulted in 74 persons being arrested. The position was then rectified.