Evening star., 1952-07-08
Resistance Man
Kidnapped Into
Soviet Berlin,
Abductors Hurl Nails
On Rood and EIude
Chase in West Zone
BY the Assoeioied Press

Chase in West Zone
BY the Assoeioted Press
BERLIN, July 8.-Dr. Walter
Linse, a top official of the West
Berlin Free Jurists, was kidnapped
this morning and driven of to the
Soviet zone amid a furry Of gun
shots.
The head Of the economics de-
partment of the Free JuristS, DR..
Linse, was attacked by three men
shortly after he left his home in
the American sector. He was
dragged into a car which drove at
high speed into the Soviet zone.
Several people who noticed the
kidnapping and pursued the car
were shot at.
Throw Nails on Road.
The kidnapers threw hundreds
Of nails out of their car. One of
the pursuing cars had to give up
the chase when a tire was pune
tured.
When the car containing the
kidnapped official reached the bor-
der the Communist Peoples Police
raised the barrier and let the car
pass. The car had a West Berlin
license plate.
The West Berlin Free Jurists
is an organization of democratic
lawyers which attempts to keep
tabs on what is going on in East
ern Germany, particularly con-
corning the legal rights of the
population.
Earlier today, the French an
nounced that the Russians had
seized one of their high officials,
Jean Benoir, as he strolled along
the Soviet zonal border and held
him in captivity for "a hours.
Records Kept on Crimes.
DR.. Linse, 48, is one of the lead
ing anti Communist lawyers of
West Berlin. He has been in
charge of compiling records on
economic crimes by the East Com
munist regime in defiance Of Ger
man law.
The Free Jurists group is largely
composed Of lawyers who fled
from the East. The group is one
OF the principal targets of Com
munist propaganda. The Reds
allege that the creation of a "shoot
to kill" security belt around West
Berlin is necessary to protect the
East Zone from agents and pro-
vocateurs.
The French High Commission
disclosed that Mr.. Benoir was ar
rested Sunday on the FrohnauI
border in an area where the line
is obscure.
Two Russian sentries took Mr..
Benoir to Red Army headquarters
at Karlhorst. He was returned to
the border yesterday and released.
A French spokesman said Mr..
Benoir was not mistreated, just
inconvenienced by the 24-hourI
wait while the Russians satisfied
themselves Of his identity.
U. S. Show Baggage Seized.
Red border tactics also struck a
blow at a touring American show
which had delighted West Berlin
audiences for the last two weeks.
Stubborn sentries outside the city
refused last night to permit eight
truckloads Of equipment owned by
a roller skating ''Vanities" show to
pass the Babelsberg checkpoint.
The trucks were en- route to Kiel,
in the British zone, for the next
performance.
The Is performers and workmen
of the big show had travelled to
Frankfurt by air, meanwhile. The
Russians argued that the loaded
trucks contained silk shirts and
souvenirs purchased in Berlin and
not declared as part of the cargo.
Value Put at 100000.
United States High Commission
officials intervened with Soviet
headquarters today in an effort to
obtain release of the trucks for
their journey. They said the Soviet
guards had not conflscated the
cargo, but neither had they
granted transit permission by mid
morning.
The shows producer. Harold
Steinrnan of New York, valued the
truckloads held up by the Russians
at more than 100000.