TENSION IN GERMANY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 September 1943, Page 4

TENSION IN GERMANY

STORM TROOPS PATROLLING BERLIN STREETS HITLER HOLDS WAR COUNCIL. DECISION TO HOLD NORTHERN ITALY. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) / LONDON, September 9. Hitler held a war council today, which decided to reinforce the line of the River Po in North Italy and to fight to the last man, reports Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent. General Kesselring was brought by air to the council meeting, which was held at Berchtesgaden. Others present included Goering, Himmler, Ribbentrop, Keitel, Doenitz and Speer. The Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper “Allehanda” says storm troops are patrolling the streets of Berlin. An atmosphere of tension pervades the city. Skirmishes have already occurred in front of the Brown House in Munich. There is also tension in Central Germany. Great excitement is reported among Italian workers in the Reich. The Berlin radio reported that the police cordoned off the Italian Embassy in Berlin and that all leading Italian personalities in Berlin have been “taken to police headquarters.” A German military spokesman stated that the Italian army of occupation in Greece had agreed to give up its heavy equipment and march to the coast, where it will remain until further German orders. Today’s German High Command communique says: “In Southern France, Italy and the Balkans, where German and Italian troops hitherto have fought side by side, all measures which become necessary because of the betrayal of the Badoglio Government are progressing. They are taking"‘iheir expected course.”