Evening star., 1942-06-15
BY LELAND STOWE,
War Correspondent OF The Star

AT A GERMAN PRISON CAMP
SOMEWHERE IN RUSSIA, June
Is! What do the men who call
Hitler Der Fuehrer and are fight
ins Hitler's war for him think about
q second front in the west?
We reached this prison camp
within a few hours after the Russo
Anglo-American agreement to open
up q second front this year had
been announced and shortly after
this news had been communicated
to- the more than 500 German SOL
diers who were captured during the
mid-May battles on the Kharkov
front and have just recently been
brought to this remote forest
trimmed village.
(Soviet airmen have distrib-
uted among German units along
the front numerous leaflets con-
tanning the text of the British
Russian treaty and the Russian
United States agreement, the So
Wet Bureau of Information re-
ported last night, according to
the Associated Press)
After talking with more than a
score of these prisoners at length,
and sometimes with groups Of 20 or
so at a time in the course of sew
eral hours on two different days,
think this is a fair summary OF
their reaction to the American and
British pledges of second front.
Menace to Hopes.
First, these German soldiers
unanimously appreciate the full
meaning and menace to Germany's
hopes of victory which a second
front would now entail. Second,
most of these young soldiers, fresh
from garrisoning jobs where VIC
tory was won cheaply, profess the
belief that the British and Ameri-
cans are neither powerful enough
nor bold enough to create a second
front this year. Third, if it should
come this year-well, most of them
are worried. They don't like to face
what it might mean. But let
few of them tell you in their own
words.
1t. Gottfried Boyer. 25-year-old
artillery officer of the 294th Di-
vision: "I don't think the Rus
SLAMS can beat the Germans alone,
but if Britain and America manage
I'd open a second front it is going
to- be very. very difficult for Ger
many" Then after a pause. Just
the same, I don't believe they can
make a second front this year."
Lit. Oscar Reiger. transport pilot:
Certainly new front in the west
would make things much harder for
US AS a pilot. though, I know
how difficult 1t is to transport
troops. 1t will be a tough job for
the British to open up a second
front"
A 28-year-old German infantry
man from Magdeburg: IF they
really mean to make a second front
this summer and can do it. OF
course, that will make things very
hard 1t would weaken our forces
in the East-but we must wait and
see If they do it."
Beginning Of the End.
A 30-year-old artilleryman from
Berlin: with America in the war,
too, I don't believe that Germany
can win. second front would be
the beginning of the end"
German Army chauffer from Lam
dau: IF the English and Ameri-
cans try to open second front
think the German governments
will be prepared for that. For in
stance, in April a British destroyer
put into the harbor of st. Nazaire,
France. But it had to withdraw
very quickly because our German
defenses were too good"
CThis German refused to be-
lieve that the British Com
mandos spent several hours in
St. Nazaire wrecking installa-
tions after catching parts of the
defenders forces badly offguard.
He accepted the Nazi radios
version as complete truth. The
pronounced effect of Nazi propa-
ganda on the younger German
soldiers was revealed throughout
the conversations at this camp)
The younger German officers are
more highly indoctrinated with Nazi-
ism than many privates. or at any
rate, many of them are much more
staggering. One of these scornfully
dismissed the Allied agreement on
an early second front as "just talk
the British cannot do it." Some
Of these officers spoke and acted
very cockiiy, with all the mannerisms
Of those born to be master race"
Aviator Not So Sure.
1t. Alrich Heinrich, an aviator,
vas unlike fellow-officers of this
sort in Two respects. He was older
Sand also had been a prisoner
for several months 1t. Heinrich
was not so sure. All he would say
was: II don't know If Germany
can win, but I hope she can so we
can 60 home"
But perhaps the wisest. and GER
tainly the most interesting observa-
tions came from a former Saxon
farmer. a 33-year-old soldier named
PROPOSALS.