Evening star., 1939-11-19
Reich Repatriation
OF Germans Presents
Vast Problems
How to Return Property,
Where to Settle Them
Are Main Questions
BY LOUIS p. LOCHNER,

BY LOUIS p. LOCHNER,
BERLIN.-The largest migration
of peoples in centuries has been
started on it's somewhat uncertain
course by Adolf Hitler's announce
ment in his Reichstag speech of
October 6 that he was making ar
rangements with various countries
for the return of Germans to the
Reich.
His words were followed almost
Immediately by action. German
steamers started for Baltic ports to
bring $4,000 Germans now living
in Latvia and about $1,000 living in
Estonia into what hitherto was the
Polish Corridor. Some 10000 from
Lithuania will, in all likelihood, fol-
low soon.
The Germans in Estonia and Lat
via were not given much time to
think it over. They had to act
quickly. German representatives
pointed out to them that cultural
mission was theirs of the same
magnitude and Importance as that
which brought their forebears into
the Baltic states-that of colonizing
regions with hitherto backward
culture"
Forced Out of Old Homes.
They were to abandon the estates
where families of some of them had
lived for centuries, because Adolf
Hitler was convinced that, friction
between the Nazi Third Reich and
its neighbors could be averted, OF
at least lessened, if the German mi
nority problem ceased to exist.
1t will be recalled in this connec-
ton that Hitler has again and again
stated that he was the protector of
all Germans everywhere. Any wrong
done to a German anywhere in the
world Immediately became Ger
many's concern.
1t was as protector of all Germans
that the Fuehrer demanded the
severance of Sudetenland from the
Czecho-S -Slovak state in 1888. 1t was
as protector of all Germans that
he made Lithuania in 1899 sign the
dotted line relinquishing the Memel
region to Germany. AS protector of
all Germans, too, he decided Danzig
must be severed from her bonds
with Poland and the Germans in
Pomorze and Pommerellen "liberat-
ed"
Now Estonia, Latvia and Lith-
uania have been asked to agree to
some plan for the repatriation of
these Baltic Germans. But the
100000 Baltic Germans are mere
drop in the bucket.
Germans in Soviet May Return.
In the Wilhelmstrasse, one hears
the $4,000 Germans in Soviet
Russia. especially the 100000 So
called "Volga- a-Germans," are soon to
be repatriated also
And OF course the Germans in
Wolhynia, formerly Polish and
now a Russian province-they
number about 20,000-are to come
home into the Reich"
Them there are the 100000 Ger
mans III Rumania. the 100000 in
Hungary, the 100000 in Yugoslavia
and the scattered Germans in other
parts of Europe.
All these are in due time to come
''home into the Reich Father
Hitler. as one Gualeiter district
governor put it, wants all his chill
dren assembled about him.
The problem is tremendous. 1t
Involves. for instance, the question
of the transfer of the property OF
the repatriated. Again, to set up
new homes and establishments In
the corridor for the repatriated is a
difficult problem at time when
Germany is in the midst of world
war which has only just started in
earnest. The needs of the armed
forces are so tremendous that build
ing materials and other necessities
for the modern "colonists" will be
scarce.
A further question that must bt
faced by Germany's neighbors Il
this: every German complains thai
his is a "Volk ohne Raum," mean
ing a people without living space
Hitler often has dwelled in hi:
public speeches upon the fact thai
his country is one of the mos
densely populated In the world.
Where Will Poles Go?
Granted that conquered Polan'
offers wide spaces for German col
onists, these spaces can be mad
available only if the Poles ar
crowded out Of them. Then wher
are the Poles to go?
And if Rumania is to yield on
million Germans, where is ther
room to be found for such larg
number in an overcrowded Ger
many?
The assumption seems justifie'
that Hitler in due time will be com
PEELED simply to demand more ter
ritory for Germany. For the present
the Poles and the Czechs must max
room, authorized sources say.
Gualeiter Albert Forster OF Dan
zig, who has been charged by Hitle
with governing the conquered prov
inces of Pommerellen and Pomorz
until further notice, bluntly said o.
Columbus Day that the obligation
rested upon every German ito ri
this land ruthlessly of all scoundrel!
robbers, Pollacks and Jews H
admonished his hearers that the
cannot be severe enough. 1t woul
be wrong to be soft about it"
The Czechs, a government spokes
man told the writer, would be pushe
more and more to the east unit
Prague itself was a German cit
and the whole territory surroundin
1t German. That alone, howeve
isn't sufficient room.
The Bavarian and Austrian Alp
already are being populated by tn
southern Tyrolese, whom Hitle
agreed to take over from Mussolir
with view to removing possibl
cause of friction within the axis.
If one adds to the narrowness {