Evening star., 1948-12-16
French Blow Up
Towers Of Reds.
Radio in Berlin
Mosts Held Menace
To Planes Landing
On AirIift Run
BY ths Assoeiatsd Press

BERLIN, Dec. 16-The French
destroyed the towers of the So
viet-controlled Berlin Radio to-
day. Authorities of the French
sector, where the structures were
located, said the towers were
dangerous to Western airlift
planes.
The radio station was observing
a brief pause in its schedule when
the towers were dynamited. 1t was
due to resume programs shortly
afterward, but late in the day the
station was still off the air.
Second Station Available.
Berliners could, If they wished
tune in to the fainter program of
the Soviet-controlled Deutschland
sender, but five hours after the de-
molitiop, Of which radio Berlin had
been warned almost month in ad-
vance, Deutschlandsender still ig-
nored it.
While Westren-licensed afternoon
newspapers SplaShed the story
Observation-Disclosures transmit ed
Christmas carols. Berlin radio Of
ficials refused to comment on the
demolition.
Brig. Gen. Jean Ganeval, French
military commander in Berlin, said
he was compelled to order French
troops to destroy the towers because
there was very great danger to
airlift planes coming in by radar
to the new Tegel field in the French
sector. The towers were near the
field.
Action Taken During Pause.
The action was taken between 9
am. and 1O:45, during a regular
tWo-hour pause of the station.
Radio Berlin was scheduled to re-
sumo programs at IL am, but did
not do so. Apparently Soviet au-
thorities had been unable to set up
alternate towers in time.
Late in the day, the Soviet-li-
censed news agency ADM denounced
the demolition of the transmission
toWers-one 262 feet, the other 1913
feet tall-as IAN act of vandalistic
destruction brought by reactionary
circles because the Berlin radio
broa dcasts had created dissatisfac-
ton among German and interna-
tlonal reactions for a long time
ADM said the French explanation
for blowing down the structures was
"baseless. 1t said the Soviet occu-
patton authorities offered a long
time ago to let the French use an
other area for an airfield, but that
the offer had been rejected.
Climax OF Long Dispute.
The French commander said he
had notified the Berlin radio station
management November 20 that the
demolition would take place TODAY
This was to allow the management
time to arrange new installations in
another sector He said the demoli.
ton took place without incident.
German postal authorities said
the French not only blew up the
radio towers, but also the control
installations for the towers.
Demolishing the towers climaxed
a long fouT-power dispute owe,
Radio Berlin.
The radio station itself is located
in the British sector. The Rus
slams have successfully resisted
British efforts to force them from
the station, which they took over
when Berlin fell.
When the Western powers came
to Berlin the Russians insisted they
retain control of the radio station
saying 1t was their only broadcas st
outlet to the Soviet zone. The Rus
SLAMS posted armed soldiers at en-
frances to the building and no one
was allowed in without q special
pass.
British Refused to Act.
AS the East-West position wors-
ened in Berlin the British were
urged by the other Western powers
to take over the station, which
broadcast long TRADES against the
Western Allies. The British did not
take action because of the danger
OF an incident involving British and
Soviet troops. 1t also was felt the
Russians might retaliate by cutting
of all cable communication between
Berlin and Soviet zone.
In his statement Gen. Ganeval
said that since Tegel airfield began
operating at full capacity under the
airlift planes have been coming and
going under all weather conditions,
Now radar is working" Gen.
Ganeval said, 80 but since the
planes are flying without visibility,
(See BERLIN, Page A-3)