Evening star., 1943-12-24
Spirit Of Christmas
Absent in Berlin,
Correspondent Says,
By the Associated Press.

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STOCKHOLM, Dec. 10 Delayed
There is no Christmas spirit or
any feeling for celebration in Ger
many.
Hundreds of thousands Of Ger
mans in Berlin and other cities are
living primitive lives. but neutral
Swedish correspondents say they
continue to support Hitler's war
regime because they are convinced
they will never regain their homes
or belongings unless Germany wins
the war.
Ole Ollen, Berlin correspondent
of the newspaper Social Demokra-
ten who Is In Stockholm for the
holidays. said The masses of
bombed out people now form a real
new army Of sympathizers, perhaps
not fully in favor of the Nazis, but
anyway loyal from a German stand
point. e
They are a real factor to count
with he continued, ''for the regime
can depend on them. 1t is not the
revolutionary force which the Allies
may have expected or which some
German circles even feared would
develop after the bombings."
War Dominates Everything.
The Russian war dominates every
thing, Mr.. Ollen added, for the
average German really is afraid
that all German life will be de-
stroyed If the Russian army breaks
through the East Front
Mr.. Ollen,s observations undoubt-
edly reflect accurately q large sec
ton Of German opinion and re-
emphasizes the tremendous effect Of
Nazi propaganda on German think
ing. However, Mr.. Ollen plans to
return to Berlin after the holidays
and obviously could not write at
this time full story.
Mr.. Ollen said that the Germans
are living in primitive fashion with
paper and boards covering bomb
shattered windows.
The rain seeps through the
burned out upper floors into the
living quarters downstairs and into
the cellars" he related, adding that
many homes have no gas or light
But anyway" he continued. "one
can live very primitively and work.
I have seen many such examples.
One factory manager told me pro-
duction was being maintained. He
said OF course, the workers are
worried, but they're working hard"
Berlin Is War Front.
Berlin Is real front this Christ
mas" Mr.. Ollen said. He reported
there will be virtually no exchanges
OF Christmas presents and few fam
lily gatherings. Most children have
been evacuated and most husbands
and wives are separated, In the
army or in war jobs.
Thousands of homes have been
destroyed. Department stores are
like tombs. with nothing to sell
The vegetable supply is insufficient
and worse than last year. How
ever, the quality of potatoes, the
Germans staple dish. is good.
Comparatively mild fall weather
has aided both the food and the
housing situations.
Blue fire" has become the SYM
Dol Of Berlin's Christmas, which
may be the worst in Germany's
history, said Herje Granberg, Alton
bladet correspondent.
ut is the fire which springs
from the flames of coal stocks in
burning cellars" he said.
No Festive Spirit.
There is no festive spirit over
this Christmas. A few days ago
a Christmas snow fell, covering both
the ashes and ruins with a merci-
full cloak of white, but now it is
melted and everything is grey, naked
and cold. Beriiners will never for
get this Christmas of 1943.
"Berlin's streets today present a
horrible picture of destroyed and
burned houses. In cellars where
winter coal stocks are still burning
three weeks after the first great
November raid, the blush flames
make a ghostly impression in the
evening gloom.
Because of the shortage oi
Christmas trees, Berliners are max.
ing trees from old branches Of tied
sticks decorated with bits of tinfoi
salvaged from sheets dropped by
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