The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-18
NAzIS BEHEAD
z WOMEN ON
SPY CHARGES
Beauties Put to Death on
Block After Conviction in
Peoples Court.
OTHERS ARE GIVEN LIFE
German Officials Attempt to
Keep Killing Stories
Mystery.
yHiiedPrcss

BE + LIN, Feb. Is. -
Baroness Bonita Won Berg, a
society beauty of surprising
charm, and Frau Renate Won
Natzrare, another blue
blooded beauty, were be-
headed today for spying on
behalf of a foreign state.
The execution of the two women
was carried out at dawn with such
secrecy that it was hours before
the official veil could be penetrated
sufficiently to learn their exact fate.
= AT first. officials said they had
been shot by a firing squad. Then
the statement was retracted and II
was admitted the women had gone
to the block. where their heads were
chopped of by a silk-hatted execu-
toner with a medieval battle ak.
Others Are Given Life
Their necks shaven for death,
they were led into the courtyard OF
Ploetzensee Prison and executed
before a small, carefully chosen
group OF witnesses.
Other defendants in one of the
most fantastic espionage consplr-
acies in modern times were SEN
fenced to life Imprisonment.
The latter were Baron Georg Won
SosnoWski, the daShing Polish cav
airy officer whose name was used
to describ. the plot which cost his
one-time love, the beautiful Baron
ess: Fraulein Won Jena and another
woman secretary of the ReiChswehr,
whose name IVES not revealed.
one Woman Shoots Herself
A woman dancer, Fraulein KruSe.
it was learned. was sentenced IN
nine months imprisonment for i'm
plication in the case but was re-
leased, inaSmuch as she already had
been in prison for more than that
time during the investigation and
trial.
Another woman whose name was
not aScertained was suspected but
fled before she could be arrested,
and subsequently shot herself.
The official secrecy which sur
rounded the executions Tas so great
that when officials finally consented
TO issue an official announcement,
il did not even say whether the
women were shot or beheaded. but
it was learned definitely that they
we're beheadeG.
Conflicting Stories Told
Conflicting stories were told by
Nazi officials about the executions,
causing extreme confusion. The
ministry Of justice itself told differ
ent stories, and it was necessary for
newspaper men TO ascertain the
truth from their own sources.
After the beheadings. inspired
comment appeared in the afternoon
papers. justifying the execution of
two women. The following was
typical:
The sentence Of the Peoples
Court which led TO the execution OF
the two women was passed for the
most hideouS crime that can be
committed. Treason may result in
costing the lives Of thousands of
citizens.
without thinking OF the conse-
ouenceS their actions might have
for thousands Of their ccuntrymen.
these thoughtleSs people delivered
military secrets 10 a foreign power.
Their action was aggravated by
the fact that they accepted money.
The culpritS were members Of old
and noble PruSSian families which
had rendered valiant services to the
nation. The NaZi State, however,
like any other state which desires
TO protect lives Of citizens. was un-
able 10 take into consideration the
merits Of those families in judging
the present case. II is the task Of
Naziism to exterminate treason and
carry out its task unfinchingly."