COUNTRY OCCUPIED BY GERMAN TROOPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 March 1939, Page 7

COUNTRY OCCUPIED BY GERMAN TROOPS

National Forces Ordered to Surrender Arms. WMUTiHar -w • 11 u» Trr—ir— nwm—wawnr rw i PRESIDENT HACHA AND MINISTERS ACT TRUSTINGLY.

By Telegraph. —Press Association.- -Copyright.

• / ' LONDON, March 15. “Herr Hitler has taken the Czech people under the protec don of the German Reich. The autonomous development of Czech national life will be guaranteed by the Geiman Reich.” x . . This communique was issued today following a conference in Berlin between the IGS1 * dent of the Czech Republic, Dr. Macha, and Herr Hitler. An agreement along those lines has been signed by Dr. Hacha, M. Chvalkovsky, Czech Foreign Minister, Herr Hitler and Herr von Ribbentrop, German Foreign Minister. “In order to reach final appeasement,” states the communique, ‘ Dr. Hacha placed ic fate of the Czech people and land trustingly in the hands of t ie Fuehrer, and the rnelnei accepted this.” Shortly after the end of the conference in Berlin, the Prague wireless announced that German troops had begun to occupy Czech territory. It was announced that the Czech troops would be disarmed as the Germans met them. Appeals are being broadcast even 15 minutes that the Czech army should not resist the German occupation, adding: Aims must be surrendered without hesitation.” , .

An official statement issued after the broadcast announced that the

German advance must nowhere be resisted, otherwise it would cause the most unforeseen consequences, leading to the intervention becoming utterly brutal. “All commanders must obey the orciers of the occupying army. The Czech army will be .disarmed. Military and civil aeroplanes must remain at their aerodromes and none must attempt to take the air. Prague will be occupied at 6.30 a.m.” The Vienna correspondent of the British United Press says that German troops have already occupied Pilsen. They crossed the border of the Czech republic at Moravska and Ostrava and occupied police headquarters and the town hall.

Civilians attempted to prevent the tanks from entering, singing the Czech national anthem, whereupon the Germans fired blank shots and the crowds dispersed. Further shooting was reported during a later demonstration. It is reliably reported that the Germans crossed the border at two other points in addition to Marovska and Ostrava.