Evening star., 1945-07-27
Shrine Of Nazidom
Erased, lis Saints
Taken From Tombs
BY THOMAS r. HENRY
Star War Correspondent.

cal hobo rabble rouser, were shot by
the city police in the rioting which
accompanied rather pathetically
comic rebellion.
At that time the world, including
especially the citizens of Munich,
had only somewhat annoyed smiles
at the ranting leader with the Chap
lin mustache and grandiose para
mold fantasies Of new heaven and
new earth. He was a nuisance.
Munich folks who had known the
dead boys were sorry for them and
for their families They were buried
and, in few weeks, completely for
gotten.
Then came the great world de-
preston. Everybody everywhere was
clutching at any formula, however
fantastic, that gave promise of a
better life. Through a strange Sc
quence Of events Adolf Hitler became
head of the German nation.
Rowdies Became Saints.
The 16 dead rowdies of the Munich
"putsch" became saints" of the new
faith. Near the center of Munich is
Kings square. For century 1t had
been one of the architectural treas
ures of Germany. 1t was built largely
by Bavaria's Mad King Ludwig" in
the first half of the last century
There is a great museum filled with
Greek and Oriental antiquities COL
lected by Ludwig during his extern
sive travels of the most notable
paintings not only Of the early 18th
Century German artists, but of Ma
net, Cezanne and Van Gogh. Before
the square stands triumphal arch
decorated with reliefs depicting
scenes from the life of Ludwig's son
Otto, who was King of Greece from
1882 to 1862.
This square was selected by Hitler
as Nazidonl's Mecca. 1t was COM
pletely transformed. The name was
changed from Kings Square" to
"Kingly Square" Trees which had
surrounded it were chopped down.
Two new buildings, Hitler style, were
erected, both for administration
purposes. On one corner two open
halls were constructed in classical
design with pillars-so-called TEN
pies honor of the half forgotten
Munich revolt. There also was a
centotaph. The bodies of the Is
dead were disinterred and placed
there in brass coffins. For seven
years the IS guards OF honor stood
at attention here. Every November
there was great memorial cele-
bration. All of the "old fighters"
used to assemble here for the roll
call of the 16 heroes"
The other day. under direction of
the American Military Government.
the remains we're removed as quietly
as possible without any publicity
whatsoever and handed over to the
families of the dead men to be re-
buried in the family cemeteries.
Hardly anybody except their imme-
diate relatives now remembers their
names. Their brief interlude of
sainthood is done. 1t was desired
especially to avoid any incident
which might have developed had
there been publicity and which
might have continued them in their
roles as martyrs"
Peace Bell to Be Made.
From the brass of two of the
cofflns will be cast peace bell to be
hung in the square.
Iitlar yyyArtrAd v,,1~I
during his Munich visits, with Offices
in one Of the administration build
ings. For living quarters he rre-
ferred his own residence nearby,
where he had lived previous to 1893.
The camouflage Of Koenigsplatz
was very good and Allied bombers
never found the place, despite its
great Importance as a Nazi shrine.
Although Munich was the holy
city" Of Nazidom the bulk of its
citizens seem to have been less i'm
pressed with the Hitler philosophy
than those of many other Germsn
cities. Today it is the center of
much discussed, but probably
wholly premature, Bavarian inde-
pendence movement and the white
and blue flag of the old kingdom
which existed before unifcation of
the Reich flies from many build
ings
Still throughout the Nazi regime
the place was the center of some
of Hitler's grossest fantasies. The
other day a German reporter took
me to an office building which, he
said, was the headquarters of the
Lebensborn organization where chill
dren of thoroughly certified
"Aryan" lineage were produced en-
ttrely for the state, to be trained
from birth as future party leaders.
Mothers were recruited from all
over Germany. The capital of the
organization ran into millions of
marks, accumulated by monthly de-
ductions from the pay of IS SOL
diers. There are several thousand
Of these children, the German re-
porter says, still in special homes
throughout Bavaria. The mothers
have no further interest in them,
as was intended.
Black Market Thrives.
Many Munich citizens undoubted-
ly are having a tough time. A
black market is reported which sur
passes, in prices charged, any other
in Europe. A loaf of bread costs
$40. Very bad German cigarettes
are, from 80 to 60 cents each. A
half pound of butter costs about
$12 and pound Of meat SIG.
Actually, Munich people say,
quite high wages were paid here
during the war and there was no
way to spend the money. There
was little for sale except food and
this was strictly rationed. Conse-
quently, there is a great deal of
accumulated money in the hands
Of the people. They are doubtful
Of its value, remembering the in
f1ation days which followed the
last war. So if they need Gig
arettes they don't hesitate to pay
half dollar each for them. This
is about three times the current
value in Berlin and twice the cur
Lee -. -,