Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-07-19
WORLD IN
REVIEW
BY Maj. Gen.
D. P. Barrows

THE German armies north
i and south of Wilma have
pushed across the Polish from.
tier into Lithuania. The Ger
man resistance which has beenV
feeble in White Russia and
northeastern Poland may now
strengthen. but If the Red
armies take the city of kovno.
whence a main railroad line
runs directly west to Koenigs-
berg. they may be able to drive
straight on into East Prussia.
This attack would be an lnva-
sion of German soil and would
bring the war startlingly close
to the German people.
The province of East Prussia,
which lies along the Baltic Sea
between the Neimen and Wis.,
tula rivers, has played a very
important part in German his
tory. The romantic and pic
turesque way in which il be-
came German, possesses a
strong hold on their imagina-
ton.
For this province, which lies
wholly north of Poland. is the
furthest eastern extension that
the Germans ever made In the
course of their expansion. II
represents what they speak OF
as the pressure toward the
east" which they believe still
shapes their destiny.
last PRUSSIA is a broad
IL coastal province naturally
rather poor. Only half of the
sandy plain is cultivated. the
remainder being forest and pas
ture land. It's only mineral
product is amber, derived from
the fossil forests buried in the
Baltic sands. and which has at
tracted traders since prehis-
toric times.
Before the Twelfth Century
the region was inhabited by
pagan peoples. the Mazuri snd
others. but IN the Thirteenth
Century the third OF the great
crusadlng orders. the TeutonioS
Knights. were called back from
Palestine and established on the
Vlstula River 10 subjugate and
Christianlze this region. In this
they had the support of local
princes and OF the Papacy.
THE Knights succeeded in this
i endeayor. They built great
castles that were half fort
ress and half cloister al Thorn,
Marienwcrder. Marienburg and
Elbing. which have been beau
tlfully maintained through the
centuries and are among The
mos, remarkable architectural
monuments the writer has ever
seen
Originally a charitable or
ganlLatlon for the relief and
disqualification Of eastern cru
SaderS the order became a
strong military power and was
gwen governing powers like
those OF chartered company.
After three centuries during
which the knights administered
East Prussia. they were de-
fcated and declined But they
left As descendants the baronlal.
or 'junker' class which has
played a large part in the mill
tary and Administrative organl-
ZatIOn Of Germany
CONTEMPORARY with the
" ConqueSts of the Teutonlc
knights, the famous organlZa-
ton of medieval trading cities,
called tho HanSeatC League.
pushed Its maritime commerce
UP the coast OF the Baltic and
founded the cities Of Danzlg.
Loenlgsberg Memcl, Riga and
ReNaI
Trade was also established
with the Russians AT NoVgorod.
Immigrants followed from west
crn Europe. East Prussia grew =.
IN Importance and finally gave
It's name 10 the kingdom of the
Hohenzollern princes 1t I'M
parted military and civic
efficiency that became leading
characteristics OF Germ a Y.
Napoleon must have had this in
mind when hc SAID
Prussia was Matched out Of
cannon ball"
THE Russian conquest of East
L Prussia would be a decisive
achievement in defeating Ger
many. But beyond this military
objective Stains plan for East
Prussia looms as a doubtful
project OF craftsmanship. He
proposes that when Germany
Internationally surrenders. East
Prussia be detached and given
10 Poland AS compensation for
Eastern Poland. which he is
determined 10 incorporate into
Soviet Russia.
There may still he time 10
question whether this would be
a Just settlement for those most
concerned, especially for the
100000 German inhabitants
who presumably would be scat
tered elsewhere. But there is A
certain vaStneSs of design
Characteristic of Stain. and in
deed Of the Russian people His
plans for eastern Europe I'M
press me as the most audaclous
and INSCRIPTIONS designs for
remaking Europe that have