Evening star., 1945-07-23
Yanks Seize 10000 Germans
Every House in Occupied Zone
Searched for IS Men and Guns
Only Two Persons
Try to Resist
Mass Raid
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
FRANKFURT-ON- THE MAIN
July 23.-Half a million Ameri-
can troops arrested more thar
10000 persons and searched
every house in the American
occupation zone of Germany
over the week end, it was dis,
closed today.
The Americans were seeking weap.
ons, ammunition and loot Many Of
those taken into custody were mem
bers of the SIS, hunted as war crimi-
mails.
The 100000 Germans in the
American zone we're caught COM
pletely by surprise and were bewil-
dered and scared. but offered not
the slightest opposition,
Perfect Security Maintained.
Brig. Gen. Edwin l.. Sibert OF
Vlnyard Haven, Mass. head of the
G-2 Division of United States
Forces in the European Theater
lifted censorship on the raid today
He said that although orders for the
raid were issued three weeks ago
perfect security was maintained and
not a word leaked out.
Only two Germans tried to escape
the search. he said, and at least
one was shot to death.
Gen. Sibert said a considerable
number of guns, ammunition and
loot, such as American uniforms,
K-rationS, gasoline and vehicles,
were uncovered, but that there was
no sign of an organized German
underground.
Many SIS Men Rounded Up.
A lot of SIS men-many posing as
discharged Wehrmacht prisoners of
War-were rounded up, he said De-
tails as to the exact number and
Identification of any leaders among
them were not Immediately revealed.
The general said some of the per-
sons arrested were in American uni
forms. These declared that they
had no other clothing. Most Of those
taken into custody, however, were
booked for irregularities in identifi-
cation papers, he said.
With "tallyho' as a code word,
the American soldiers struck at
daylight Saturday. They stopped
every vehicle, including United
States Army jeeps, checked the pa
pers of civilians and soldiers and
swept through every German house
from cellar to attic.
Population Upset.
ut upset the civilian population
quite bit, which is good" Sibert
said, explaining that the Germans
had been given a week of grace,
ending July 20, in which to turn
over all weapons, ammunition, ra-
dio transmitters and other forbid
den articles without fear of pun
iShment.
Those caught with forbidden ar
ticles face trials in which the death
sentence can be applied.
The raid marks the passing from
a negative to positive line OF
action" Gen. Sibert said. I'VE want
ed oact before there was even a
chance of anything coming up and
hitting us in the face"
Sought to Check Own Measures.
In addition, he said the Army
wished to check its own security and
control measures so as to plug any
possible gaps.
Col. Thomas Sands of Cornwall
N. Y, who led the raid, said that
the search showed less crime than
perhaps would be uncovered in a
similar raid over a comparable area
in the United States.
He described those arrested as
more of "the criminal element" than
anything else. He objected vigor-
ously to any reference to them as
"werewolveS," maintaining that this
was poor propaganda. He said the
offenders caught would get rough
treatment"