The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-16
Demands
RIGHT to Defend
Himself in Trial
Continued from Page y


people like Van der Lubbe in its
ranks, and maintained such connec-
tions.
"Lubbe Isn't Communist
Kerf contradicted this statement,
saying he could not comprehend how
anybody could commit such crime
as the Reichstag arson, but still more
is it incomprehcnsihle how anybody
believes Van der Lubbs is a Commu-
mist.
The next witness was a landlady
who stated she does not recognize
Popoff. She declared he never rented
her rooms. She said she believed her
neighhcr, Mrs. Hartung, perhaps had
q love affair with Popoff.
Popof protested against this state
ment, Investigation showed that this
testimony was based on reciprocal
gossip among the neighbors. The
witness declared she even accused
him of arson.
The next witness was the author
Rossner, who came from Prague, on
Dimitroff'S demand. He stated he
was frequently in the Bayernhof with
Dimitrof. He was emphatic in his
statements that Van der Lubbe never
was at their table. He said he met
Dimitroff often but never saw Van
der Lubbe.
Shows Contradictions
The Nazi waiter, Hellmer, who pre-
viously testified concerning meetings
in the Bayernhof, was recalled. He
said it was impossible to confuse
Rossner with Van der Lubbe. Dimi-
trof pointed out the contradiction in
Hellmer's previous testimony with the
testimony of the Nazi Major Schroe-
der, who declared Hellrner mentioned
suspicious foreigners before the fire
but did not mention Van der Lubbe.
DimitroH raised the fundamental
question in his defense, saying: 81
reject any tutelage and will defend
myself. I make no reproach against
Teichert."
The presiding judge stated that
every defendant before the Supreme
Court must have Official counsel.
Dimitrotf interrupted declaring:
THAT is compulsory counsel. / de-
mand the stenographic report of the
testimony and the records, and 1 will
defend myself as I think best"
The appointed counsel for Dimi-
troff, Teichert, opened a heavy attack
on Dimitroff, stating PopofT and
Taneff did not agree with Dimitroff's
agitational kind of defense, Before
Tanef and Popoff were given an
opportunity to reply. fresh witnesses
were called.
Never Saw Dimitroff
The Communist Deputy Neubauer
was put on the stand and declared
he never saw Dimitroff. The Reich
stag elevator man kaufman main-
tanned his assertion that he saw Neu-
bauer with Dimitrof in the elevator.
Neubauer maintained that this was
but that he once assembled
the Reichstag elevator with Julius,
chief editor of the International Press
Correspondence, who resembles Dini-
troff.
The next witness was a Russian
physician from Leningrad, the
of the Crlmea Sanato-
rum, who treated Popoff from the
3rd of August until the 18th of Sep
TENDER, 1882. The Sanatorium sent
on demand the certificate OF Popoff's
sojourn, which Is the official docu-
ment, as there are no private sana-
toria in the Soviet Union.
Dimitroff submitted the certificate
Of his stay in the Soviet ssnatorium
in May, 1892.
Looks Like Taneff
The next witness, Bernstein, from
the concentration camp in Sonnen-
burg, stated he brought document
about police occupation OF the Karl
house to Torgler in the
on the Gath of February.
Bernstein is conspicuous in his resem-
blance to Tanef.
Taneff's wife was the next witness.
She declared Taneff was in the Soviet
Union in the summer Of 1882, and
returned to Bulgaria in November,
where he remained until the 2lst of
September, 1892.
Dimitroff's mother. 10 years old,
attended the proceedings today.
The proceedings in the Reichstag
Berlin, closed and the ses-
sions Of the court will be continued
N Leipzig Friday