Arkansas State press., 1945-07-20

var Germany explaining how the Mani
ne older Germans, has pr0duc ed q STATE
compicates American rule Of Germany
rs he was TO processes logically con-
trolled by law and order To be de-
prived suddenly OF ones civil rights
with no recourse. came as . severe
blow TO the prisoners mentality.
The transportation TO the camp
and the initiation into II frequently
10 the first experience Of physical
and psychological torture which the
prisoner has ever experienced.
Corporal punishment, says Bettel.
helm. describing his own observa-
tons. consisted Of whipping. kick
Ing. slapping. intermingled with
shooting and wounding with the
bayonet. Then there were tortures.
the obvious goal Of which was ex-
treme exhaustion. For instance"
he says. 1.-THE prisoners were forced
to stare for hours into slaring lights.
to kneel for hours. and 20 on. From
time to time . prisoner got killed:
no prisoner was permitted to take
care Of his or anothers wounds. Tho
purpose Of the fortunes was to
break the resistance Of the pris-
oners. and to assure the guard that
they were really superior to them"
Many were killed In this process.
But those who lived, according to
the author, were conditioned to the
point where what followed-mors
beatings. more indignities. little
food. exposure and brutally hard
work-was not a. bad a. the initial
experience.
For the rest. It was slow but sure
process Of degeneration Of body.
mind and soul.
One thing which has surprised the
Americans In occupied Germany IL
the tendency Of the German people
to deny that they knew the extent Of
the atrocities which were perpe-
trated In the camps or to appear to
ignore their existence.
This IL 4 result Of 4 planned ef.
feet Of the camp.
Dread Fear Hung
Dyer Everyone
-" According to statements concern
Ing conditions In Germany - early
a. 1880. most Of the Germans who
had committed actual of3enses
against the Nazi regime. had al
ready been imprisoned, murdered
or had died In the camps, Then the
Nazis found It necessary to 60 out
and arrest members Of various
groups unfortunately. say . few
lawyers, a few doctors. 4 few from
one organization or another. This
was done as threat against that
whole particular group.
The effect on group was some.
what the same, though In q lesser
degree, as the effect on 4 family.
The effect on the families of the
prisoners. Of course. was marked.
At first a great deal Of money was
spent In attempting to get the pris-
oner released. The gestapo always
replied that ii was the prisoners
own fault that he was imprisoned.
Then members OF the family began
to find it hard to get jobs, children
had trouble at school; poor relief
was denied. Always the terror hung
over them. The friends and relatives
Of prisoner were considered sus.
poets. So the influence Of the camp
reached out over the whole group.
As the Nazi regime became more
harsh and especially latterly. when
world resentment increased against
1t even before the war, many more
Germans. passive before, became
openly dissatisfied and critical. II
was impossible to imprison them all
without interfering with the func.
tioning OF the country's economy.
Then group" arrests increased
People In lots Of a hundred or so
from one profession. or trade, or af.
filated body, would be jailed. Thus
the effect of the terror" was multi.
piled This was the manner In which
the entire population Of the country
was unclaimed.
General Mcclure recognizes how
crushing has been the effect OF
planned terror" but doubt II the
general public has any realization
Of Its magnitude. I'VE shall often
have to 60 far out Of our way" says
the general. to help certain In.
dividuals who have not had an easy
life these last IL years and more,
men whose broken spirits may well
need our support and guidance to
return to the ways Of active per.
sonal democratic initiative"
II took centuries to develop human
dignity, but 1t took only q few
months In Nazi concentration