Evening star., 1933-01-29


TN the United States mechanical
age and reasonably stable form
of Government have forced young
i men to seek romance and adven-
ture in the realm of sport, in the
laboratory or in Wall street In Ger
many certain similar and certain con-
trary forces have enabled men like
Gruppenfuhrer Edmund Heines, one OF
the major generals of Hitler's Nazi
storm troops, to carve out careers that
read like chapters from Richard Hard
ing Davis. Only country in constant
turmoil could produce a man with a
record like this:
Edmund Heines, "a years old; VOL
unteer in the German Army in 1915. at
16; winner of the Iron Cross (hrst
class) at II; cited several times for
bravery during the balance Of the war:
battery commander OF the Rossbacn
Free Corps, under Gen. Won der GoltZ,
against the Bolshevists In the Baltic
regions, at 81; officer on the Rhine In
Upper Silesia with the Free Corps. at
%; one of the leaders Of the first Hit
Ter S. A. (storm. troops, at "a; chief
aide of Hitler In the ill-timed Munich
"putsch" Of November 9, 1923. at 25;
sentenced to death Qater comnuted to
imprisonment) for multiple killings, at
29; pardoned, and a member of the
Reichstag. at 80; in command OF $4,000
turbulent yet disciplined NaIs in
Silesia, at "a.
Gruppenfuhrer Heines he is today,
Gruppenfuhrer being a military title
roughly equivalent to major general.
He reigns like an absolute monarch at
his Breslau Braunes Haus. In Septem-
Der, 1881. Adolf Hitler gave him one OF
the toughest assignments in National
Socialist Germany. Heines was ap-
pointed commander of the territory
impinging on the fostering Polish from
wearing the swastika; but in II months
this number was more than quadrupled.
Beau Ideal Of Soldier.
Heines is the beau ideal of soldier.
He Is tall and heavy set, but 1.-the and
dynamic He is handsome, with a
devil-may-care smile. He has youth,
abundant vigor and has won his mill
tary and political spurs. He has the
rare quality of being able to fraternize
and at the same time to maintain dis
cipline.
AS Gruppenfuhrer Heines. he IS i'm
portant. But as the crystallization OF
the younger German leaders Of today
he takes on a very real significance.
There are many adventures with ideals
in the nation, but Heines typif1es What
war-and-peace-weary Germany seeks
youth, vitality, burning nationalism,
discipline and leadership.
Although Bavarian-born, he has a
definite Prussian ruthlessness. He can
click his heels as nicely as subaltern
of the former Kaiser's guard. He can
kill without q qualm. He has listened
to his death sentence without quiver.
He can charm his quondam enemies,
the Breslau police, into presenting him
with birthday greetings. He can slap
q Reichstag foe and make him like 1t.
He can chase a night-shirted French
officer over the roof of q Munich hotel
and live to tell the tale and thumb nis
nose at the Bavarian police.
HeineS is an idealist whose two CHIEF
obsessions are Germany and Hitler. He
lives to train NaZis and to fight enc
mics. He is a soldier of fortune but
not mercenary. He seeks no material
rewards, but his activities permit him
to revel in adventure and daily toy
with death. OF such timber are Ger
many's younger leaders made. Some
are Monarchists, others Communists,
but most Of them carry, and follow, the
banner Of Adolf Hitler-daming red
background, solid white circle, with
black swastika inset.
1\f1rSt met HeineS In the throbbing
lobby of the Reichstag, few minutes
after the dramatic dissolution OF Sep
TENDER II.
A friend pointed him out: "There Is
Heines, the chap who was so conspicu-
Gus in the 'Fenle Moro trials IN 1927.
He is supposed to have killed at least
seven men. in and around Stettin pr!n-
cipaliy. about 1922. Come over and
meet him.
Heines and were introduced and
for the first time I witnessed his heel
click and felt his hand-grip. Both are
things to remember. He remarked on
the unique ending of the Reichstag and
then quickly turned to the training OF
Nazis in his particular territory, Silesia.
How are you progressing down
there?" I inquired.
why not come down and see?" he
flashed back.
On the inspiration Of the moment
agreed to be at his headquarters.
Braunes Haus. 210 miles from Berlin,
the following Saturday morning.
Nszi Headquarters.
At 1920 am. Saturday I reached
Brcslau and found my way to the Naz
headquarters.
"Gruppenfuhrer Heines, bite" Ire
quested of the sentry. He gave the
Mani salute, added q Hell Hitler" and
turned me over to an orderly. It was
exactly like entering . military bar.
racks. Men IN uniform WerA rushing