Evening star., 1944-07-10
Drunken Nazi Officers
In France Went Mad :.
Castle Owner Says
BY HAL BOYLE,

WITH AMERICAN TROOPS IN
NOMANDY, July Delayed -
Tall, spare, gray-haired Henri
Rostand is 66 years old and only a
fifth as old as the time-grayed
castle he had to share with the
Germans for most of the last four
wears. But he is glad he lived
through the Nazi occupation, CALLING
as it was to man accustomed to
running a farm and a 100-room
chateau as he chose.
II am happy to have lived long
enough to see your victory" he
told American officers who paused
to chat with him during q roundup
of the last Nazi defenders of Cap
de la Hague.
For a quarter of century, NJ
Rostand. distant cousin of the
famous French playwright, Edmond
Rostand, who wrote "Cyrano de
Bergerac," has served as Mayor of
the village of F1amenville, and for
years has been president Of an or
ganization of $4,000 farmers in the
La Manche Department. So when
the Germans came, they promptly
moved into his chateau, retiring
M. Rostand into one wing of the
building with his household of 25
persons. He also was ordered to ex-
ecute their requisitioning in the
neighborhood.
Wanted to Stay in France.
There was nothing we could do
to resist them" he said, adding he
preferred staying with his land
rather than fleeing the country as
many of his wealthy compatriots
did before the Nazis moved in.
Il lost one son in the war and
they took another of my seven chill
dren and forced him to work in
Germany. The last letter I had
said he had been moved to farm.
That is better for him. 1t is better
he be on a farm than in a factory.
Since your debarkment We have
not heard from him, of course, but
we would rather hear more from
you, now that we know we will see
our boy again"
NJ Rostand, major in the World
War. once spent Is months in the
United States with French mill
tary mission. He told in precise
English the conduct of the Germans
during their long, self-invited stay
under his broad roof, near which is
the pavilion traditionally used as a
retreat by Jean-Jacques Rousseau,
famous French philosopher.
Cows Would Disappear.
THE Germans used this castle as
regimental headquarters and set up
an officers club in the reception
room," he said They robbed US,
more or less. That is, each night
calf or a COW would disappear from
some farm, but they didn't do wide
spread looting. 1t was fairly petty,
except that they broke up lot of
furniture.
when the officers were drunk,
which happened fairly often, they
went mad, Once they took large
old clock in the castle and used it
as target for pistol practice, and
tIlSll I'LL CIV lllC plCCCS lillo liiC iiiooe
10 try to hide it. I had some men
recover the pieces from the moat
and put them in the yard, just to
let the Germans know I was aware
of what they were doing. They said
nothing.
Rostand Ordered Men to Aid Nazis.
They started planting tree poles
In the fields three months ago to
try to prevent plane and glider
landings The Germans themselves
called these poles 'Rommels as
paragus.' I had to order 70 or 80
men to do that work. 1t was COM
pulsory Each farmer had to plant
poles. II feet high and 3 feet deep.
They still owe us for that. They
generally paid, but you sent them
away too fast We didn't get to COL
lect those bills.
The Germans built theater in
our conservatory and invited us to
see the German movies. but some
how we always had other engage
ments."
M. Rostand told proudly how
none of the 1900 villagers came to
attend the weekly band concerts
the Germans held in the castle
courtyard.
No one came up to listen. and
our own windows were always
closed" he said. The Germans
thought when you first landed they
would throw you back into the sea.
The last German left here saying,
We will be back within a week, as
the masters of the situation
M Rostand's eyes tWinkled
That was a fortnight ago." he
said, and he stamped his polished
black boots at this joke on his erst-
uf,ilo 'oIeStc -