The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-17
TRANSLATED by LOUIS CoLMAN)

(The following recital of an
incident of the Hitler offensive
against the German workers was
written by a participant, a revo-
lutionary woman worker now a
refugee from Germany. 1t was
received in this country by the
International Labor Defense).
1T was during the last week in
April, on a Wednesday, I think.
Early in the morning, our street
had been sealed, and "cleansed."
Toward evening, three heavily
guarded trucks carried us Off.
In the same car with me were
Gerber, Jussitzska, and Adolph and
Franz who we're members Of my
unit, and, as I remember, the
zieglers, members Of a neighbour
ing unit. Other people 1 knew
were piled into the two other
trucks. We we're taken off in the
direction Of the Storm Troop bar
racks.
Before the door, Storm Troopers
waited, like crowd collected in
the neighborhood. They made us
get out Of the truck one after the
other, slowly, while the crowd
yelled and threatened. 1 recog-
nized, among others in the mob,
Blaugraeber, our shoemaker for
six years, and fat Frau Engel. who
ran grocery. We pushed through
kicks, blows, and spit.
All night we stayed in a court
yard, behind the barracks. Be-
hind us were the houses of Grab
engrasse, and to the left the low
wall of Victoria School. There
were no leaves on the trees yet,
and the school-yard was deserted,
for the Easter vacation had been
extended.
At dawn, the regimental COM
mander appeared, with at least a
dozen men. A little non-com fol-
lowed him around like a shadow.
When he shouted, the non-com
stamped his foot and shouted the
same thing. The commander
shouted Fall inI" and the little
fellow stamped his foot and shout
ed Fall inl"
Most of those in the courtyard
were taken into the barracks, and
the others, about dozen, re-
manned.
I was left outside, as was JUS
sitzska, treasurer of the Free
Thinkers, and Adolph and Franz,
who were in my unit. I knew
most of the others, too. We nearly
all knew each other.
A ROLL was called, from q list
n which had certainly been pre-
pared during the night from our
Identification papers. SO those
who remained in the courtyard
had evidently been picked out.
The commander yelled Fall inI
In foursl"
The little fellow banged with his
heel and yelled "In foursI"
So we became square, with
four rows Of fours. Guards were
placed at the four corners Of the
yard. The commander stepped
out into the middle. He shouted:
Raise your handsi"
The little man shouted Raise
your armsp
We raised our arms, but our ell
bows seemed to be rusty. AS I
made this movement, I felt the
hand of Paul Gerber, who was
close to me. I felt it in the air.
The commander yelled:
Fold your hands!"
The little non-com banged with
his heel again: Fold your hands!
Fold your hands!"
The commander shouted: Learn
to prayp
And the little one repeated
Learn to pray Learn to prayl"
squinted at the comrades in
the rank with me. On the end
was a bald man, whom I did not
know. His hands were lust
scarcely joined, on his chest. Then
there was Jussitzska. His hands
rose and touched his chest, then
fell again. Gerber, besides me,
had merely raised his thumbs
Then let my arms fall too.
The little one shouted will you,
or won't you?"
THEN the guards came, and along
each row struck at the hands
that were not folded. struck SO
hard that my hands became like
pieces Of bleeding flesh, red and
blue. But that was nothing COM
pared to Paul's hands. There were
screams behind us, and screams in
front Of us.