Evening star., 1941-04-19
Mt. Olympus and Loriso Taken,
Germans Claim, but Allies Say
Lines in Greece Are Unbroken
Armistice With Greece
Expected Tomorrow,
Berlin Indicates
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
BERLIN, April 19.-Nazi troops
have planted the swastika on
Mount Olympus, tabled home of
the gods of ancient Greece, and
have taken LariSa, an important
rail and road junction 40 miles
south of it, the German high
command said today.
Larisa is well on the road down
the narrow peninsula to Athens,
about $50 miles away.
Jubilant German political circles
indicated a belief that a Greek
German armistice might come as
birthday anniversary present for
Adolf Hitler, who will be 50 tomor-
row.
Reports from Rome that Franz
Won Papen, German Ambassador to
Turkey, was en- route to Berlin as
q Greek Intermediary to seek an
armistice, found no confirmation in
the German capital, however.
British military headquarters
In Athens said today that their
line, previously reported to have
been anchored in the east on
Mount Olympus, remained I'M
penetrated and their f1anks un-
turned. Larisa had been aban-
doned by the civilian population0
I'm thrusts which passed both
ddes of Mount Olympus" the high
command communique said, "the
rear guards of the British main
forces were repulsed and the south
ern exits of the mountains were
taken in fighting and sharp pur-
suit"
Planes Pound Enemy.
The air force, the war bulletin
went on, pounded enemy columns
in the region of Larisa and on the
road from Ioannina to Arta," in
the western sector of the fighting
front.
Informed Germans earlier had
said the British were pushed out of
strongly fortified mountain positions
after stubborn fighting and that
the Nazi troops were keeping on the
heels of the British despite des-
perate British efforts to stem their
advance by blasting bridges and
mountain roads.
They acknowledged that the Ger
man forces were encountering ex-
traordinary difficulties, but main
tanned nevertheless that they were
undisputed masters over the Britons
In the Northern Greece theater of
war
The Germans said the defenders
of the Greek-British line in North
ern Greece had begun a mass with
drawal to the south on the west
flank under the hammering of Nazi
Warplanes.
Straws in the Wind.
On the question of a Greek armi-
rice Nazi offlcialdom was too care
ful 10 say anything so positive, but
che following straws indicated which
way the wind blows:
The German Army's break through
the Thracian mountain passes was
announced. This, according to per-
sons versed in military affairs,
means the German Army can now
use panzer units for the fight
against opposing forces in the plains
around Larisa-and German pam
zers are believed here to be invin-
chile
The British threat to bomb Rome
IN case Athens or Cairo were bombed
was angrily rejected. Officials said
Germany has no intention of bomb
Ing a cultural center like Athens,
nor is Cairo on the bombing list.
1t became known that the highest
military authorities gave the strict
est orders to spare not only Athens,
but all other Greek cultural centers.
No Thought of Vengeance.
Yesterday, authorized sources
stated significantly that Greek war
prisoners would be treated like Nor
wegian or Dutch prisoners. Thus
1t was indicated Germany has no
such thought of vengeance against
Greece as she has against Serbia.
BY letting the world and thereby
Greece know of this intended diff
ferential treatment, apparently an
effort was made to hold out an olive
branch to Greece.
Responsibility for the death of
Greek Premier Korizis was definite
ly laid by German authorities at
Englands feet.
Whether he was murdered or
whether his demise was caused some
other way" he said, "doubtlessly he
was driven to death by the British.
Apparently he was not ready to
fulfill all British demands, such as
placing the Greek fleet at the dis
posal of the English for withdraw
Ing their troops and suggesting that
the Greek royal family and Greek
Army also flee to Egypt"
Authorized sources emphasized
that Korizis' death in any case
showed a rift between the Greeks
and the British and created new
situation for every Greek patriot"
Putting all these hints together 1t
was not difficult for observers to
gather that Germans expect de-
cisive developments in Greece soon.
Mystery Shrouds Won Papen.
Mystery still surrounded move
ments of Franz Won Papen, Ambas-
sador to Turkey. Rome reports said
the Greek government had used
him as an Intermediary for an armi-
stice request, but the report could
not be confirmed in Berlin.
Nor were informed quarters ready
10 admit that Kostas Kotzias, who
was offered the post of Premier of
Greece, is friend of Germany now.
Kotzias is remembered as a man
who frequently visited Germany and
repeatedly attended Nurnberg Nazi
party conventions. At the same
time it is recalled, however, that as
governor of Thrace he delivered