The New York herald., 1921-06-14
GERMAN TERRORIST
POSES AS PLAINTIFF
Max H0elz, on Trial for MUIR
der and Treason, Says He
Is Complainant.
HAS MILITARY ESCORT
All Persons Entering Berlin
Court Room Forced to Sub
nit to Search.
HAS MILITARY ESCORT
By the Associated Press.

BERLIN. June 13-Max Hoclz, the
Communist leader who last year in
cited a reign Of terror In the Plauen
region during which murder and arson
were rampant, was arraigned before
special court here to-day on charges OF
murder high treason and disturbing
public order.
Unusual circumstances attended the
trial All those entering the court room.
had to submit to being searched. The
prisoner was escorted to the dock by
four soldiers in addition to several po-
licemen.
In reply to questions put by the pres
ident of the court Hoelz made ram
bling statement, In which he refused
to regard himself as - person accused
of crime. On the contrary, he asserted
that he was complainant against
that bourgeois society which you repre-
sent
The prisoner declined to divulge any
thing about his associates. He denied
that the rebellion had been fomented
by Communists or that it was headed
by persons from Russia. On the con-
trary, he declared. it had been pro-
voked by the authorities.
Hoelz also refused to answer questions
relating to his private life. He made
acknowledgements, however, of RESPONSE
bility for some of the proclamations
issued calling upon workmen to disarm
and overthrow the bourgeoisie. TO al
legations of specific crimes. such as
shooting a man in the back and murder
ing children. Hoelz replied, These are
among a lot Of other things that are
being laid to my door. You Will have
to prove them
To the charge of blackmailing prop
ertied men into giving himself and fol-
lowers money. the prisoner said:
I'VE reuuisitioned money from the
bourgeoisie. That is not plundering, but
fair play. We had absolute power, but
we did not misuse it,
Hoelz said the activities In middle
Germany constituted the only fighting
in which the proletariat figured. II they
were to be killed. he added. they would
at least take few or the pourgeoisle
along with them"
Hoelz's physician declared HoelZ was
four years with the German army on the
eastern front during the war, being dis
charged as psychopathic patient. suf-
fering from hysterical symptoms follow
ing shell shock.
There arc fifty separate crimes
charged against Hoelz. these including
murder, granddaughter. treason. arson,
robbery. blackmail grand larceny, preach
of the peace and violation of the law
against the transportation or use OF tX-
plosives.
During the kapp rebellion in Ger
many in 1920. Hoelz, whose ostensible
lob was that of lecturer in a moving
picture show, seized the reins OF power
at Falkenstein, Saxony, fifteen miles
from Plauen. After the fall of the kapp
dictatorship Hoelz and his band raided
adjacent towns So audacious were
their exploits that the Saxon Govern
ment decided that the men must be
crushed and sent troops against them.
Several times Hoelz was arrested, but
escaped from prison through the con-
nivance of friends.
During his reign Of terror Hoelz was
said to have held up entire towns for
ransom, burned villages and shot or Inn
prisoned persons hostile to him. Recent
dispatches have asserted that there were
eighteen charges of capital crimes
against Hoelz, including murder. rebel
lion, high treason. highway robbery and
nm urfill nossession of weapOns