GERMANY TODAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 January 1943, Page 4

GERMANY TODAY

AN UPRISING PREDICTED i INTERNEE’S STORY. LIVING CONDITIONS & MORALE DECLINING. Back in Australia under the exchange of internees plan after being detained in Germany for three years, Mr Herman Nibbe, aged 66, of Sydney, told of the decline in German living conditions and morale. People in Hamburg, where Mr Nibbe stayed, predicted that “the Germans will rise and slit the Nazis throats.” Mr Nibbe was born in Hamburg, but came to Australia at the age of 24 and became a naturalised Australian. With his daughter, Kathleen, he went on a business trip to Germany in April, 1939, arriving in July. He planned to return in November, 1939. After war broke out, he and his daughter remained in Estebrugge, a village 25 miles from Hamburg, until October 23 last year He said Hamburg people believed that a rising against Hitler would bring the war to an end. They claimed that the first outbreak would be in Hamburg. HAMBURG AGAINST HITLER. He saw no evidence of organised Communist or Socialist; parties in Hamburg, but more Hamburg people were against Hitler than for him. “During the time we were in Germany we saw a gradual deterioration in living conditions and morale,” Mr Nibbe added. “War was not welcomed by the people, but after the fall of France, in May, 1940, everyone eblieved the. Axis would win. First it was ‘next month,’ then ‘Christmas.’ But when we left people did not seem to visualise the war ever ending. Yet they wanted only peace. “After war broke out there was a lot of dealing on the black market,” Mr Nibbe continued. “But in the last year black markets have disappeared-— not because of penalties .including the death penalty, but because no one has food to sell. Everyone is living on potatoes. There is an abundance of potatoes, but little else. The weekly ration includes a few ounces of meat and fish and a few ounces of butter. Even the sick are not given fresh milk.” LISTENING TO 8.8. C. Mr Nibbe said that, in spite of the death penalty for listening-in to foreign broadcasts, people regularly listened to the 8.8. C. “The Nazis have their spies everywhere,” he added. “Yet on my monthly visits to Hamburg I heard from friends stories of what the British were doing and saying.” The greatest blow of the war for| Hamburg people was. when Germany declared war on Russia, in June, 1941. Most people in the city had been supporters of the Social-Democratic Party before Hitler came to power, and they still respected Moscow, British air raids had also struck a blow at morale, particularly the 1000-bomber raid on July 27 last year. “The Nazis seemed frightened of the effect of the raids on morale;” he said. “They tried to make everything look bright and normal after, the raids Food and goods had to be displayed in the shop windows, but they were for show and not for sale.” Mr Nibbe read in German papers that Australia would be annexed either by Japan or America. The people disliked the Japanese, and were not grateful when they entered the war on Germany’s side. Members of the Nazi Party still blindly believed in Hitler. “When I was leaving Germany an officer told me I was foolish to return to Australia, because there was no food there,” said Mr Nibbe. “It would have been useless for me to have replied.”