Evening star., 1943-02-23
'1S Veterans Back Up
Nazi fortificafions
In Belgium
1900 First-CIuss Troops
Hold First Line; Defenses
Built by Forced Labor
BY T. r.. HENRY,
Stey SfsH CsrresnOndeut


LONDON, Jan. 26 (By Mall -
Germans are rebuilding, probably
much stronger than ever, the forti-
fications OF Eastern Belgium and
France, supposedly in anticipation of
Allied invasion.
In the past six months, it has
been learned in Belgian circles here,
more than 21000 artisans from Bel
gian cities, in addition to great
many Jews for common labor, have
been conscripted for work on these
Notifications.
The defenses known to the Bel
gian sources are along the Meuse
River, which cuts across the north
east of the country before entering
the Limburg province of the Meth
erlsnds. The work, according to La
Belgiuue Independante. Free Bel
gian organ here, evidently is under
taken In fear of an attack northeast
ward through France. Other con-
scripted workers, it is known, have
been sent to Northern France.
Blitz In Reverse.
Thus Germany seems to be sntici-
oating an invasion following the
route of her own 1910 blitzkrieg in
reverse, with such cities as Aachen
In danger of being left defenseless.
And she is herself turning to the
supposedly discredited "Maginot
Line" tactics.
At the time Of the invasion, Bel
gium had her own extension of the
Maginot Line, including the defenses
Of the Albert Canal on which great
reliance was placed but which broke
quickly before the German panzer
advance.
That the work is being pushed is
evident from information reaching
the Belgian officials in London, of
tntensification of conscription and
forced evacuation of coastal areas.
Germany now has well over $4,000
men along the North Sea coasts of
Belgium, the paper learns, where
as the number was between 10000
and $4,000 at the start of the war
with Russia. OF these, it Is be-
lieyed that about $4,000 first-class
troops hold the first line of defense
along the coast, whereas the rest,
largely made up of veterans of the
World War, back them up.
Hospitals Set Up.
A recent development has been
the seizure of many Belgian man.
sions and public buildings for con-
version into military hospitals and
some of these are filled temporarily
with wounded from Russia.
Approximately 10000 persons liv-
Ing in homes directly facing the sea,
the paper learns, have been forcibly
evacuated into the interior. Many
have been obliged TO leave all their
household goods behind them and
have received no indemnity.
A German justification of the in
creasing deportations is quoted from
the Brusseler zeitung, occupation
newspaper published by the invad-'
ers at the Belgian capital.
These men have been put to
work to assure the victory of Eu-'
rope. Lots of folks in Belgium seem
to believe that this work is only
a German affair and that the popu-
lations of the occupied countries
have no role in 1t, are free to work
or not to work, as they please. 1t
is fallacious argument. Germany
is only exercising the rights of a
victorious nation and any objections
will be suppressed"
Workers Deported.
The number of Belgian workers
already deported TO Germany, the
journal learns, is well above 100000
The deportations are being carried
out en- masse. Gestapo agents will
enter a cafe or moving picture the
ater of an evening and collect the
identity cards of all present, in
structing them to appear at GER
tain office the next day to get the
cards back AS many as appear
are herded into trains without
further ceremony. The mass de-
portations. the paper learns, in
clude both men and women workers.
Within an interval Of a few
hours" it says, train filled entirely
with men has been seen to leave
Antwerp an dthen train filled en-
tirely with women. The same has
been observed at Mons.
"Often the Todt organization,
which is in charge Of building the
Notifications, seizes workers who
already have been conscripted to
work in German factories, and the
activities of some Of these has been