Evening star., 1953-06-21
Reds Jail German Thousands;
Saxon Uranium Mine Reported
Wrecked in Strike by 100000
Police Actions
Begin to Reveal
Scope of Rioting
Ry the Assoeioted Press

by the ASSoeIofed FToSS
BERLIN, June 20.-Communist |
secret police rounded up untold |
thousands of East German insur- |
gents tonight in a desperate at
tempt to smash the bloody,
three-day-old workers revolt |
which has spread from the Oder
to the Elbe. At the same time
the West Berlin newspaper Tele-
graf reported that 100000 Ger
mans in the Saxony uranium
mines went on strike Thursday
and wrecked IS shafts after a
Soviet division commander had
executed IL anti Communists.
Sweeping raids by Soviet and
East German officers, jailing
reported 5000 in East Berlin and
thousands more in the surround
ing Red zone, were called the
greatest police action since Hit
Ter quashed the bomb plot against
him in 1945.
Party announcements and
press dispatches from a score of
Soviet-controlled cities fought to
present a picture of Western
provocation for the riots. public
supports for the Reds and
pledges to return to work.
At the same time, however,
the dispatches gave the first
clue to the scope of the uprising
which began with strikes, arson
and barehanded rioting in East
Berlin last Wednesday.
Communists Admit Putsch.
The Communists admitted
publicly tonight for the first time
that there had been a putsch
(rebellion) in East Germany.
They had referred to it pre-
viously as a series of disturb
ances.
An ofdcial party report said the
group of iron ore mines at Gera
was one of the targets of the
putsch. Another target was the
big Buna synthetic rubber plant
at Halle, the party said.
The Red news agency ADM
reported that IAN agent of the
so-called fighting group against
inhumanity," and anti-Commu-
mist West Berlin organization,
had been arrested in DeSsau on
the Elbe with considerable
Western cash." Adm said he
faced Soviet execution.
In giving its spectacular re-
port on the strike of 100000 in
the Saxon uranium mines, the
newspaper Telegraf did not say
where it's information came
from. German authorities were
not available Immediately for
comment on them.
Police Reported DiSarmed.
The paper said, THE uprising
In the uranium territory started
when the workers on Thursday
declared their solidarity with
their East Berlin colleagues and
demanded free elections, the
resignation of the SED Com
munist) clique and the Stoppage
of uranium exploration. :"
"Volkspolezei units attacked
with truncheons.
More than 1000 Vopos Peo-
pies Police then were disarmed
and forced to march with the
demonstrators.
Later Soviet troops inter-
vened with tanks and machine
guns against the demonstrating
masses.
Twenty five workers were
killed and about 800 wounded.
"On Friday, Soviet soldiers
shot at strikers in the Saalfeld.
Panzers opened fire on miners
in Wisnnut A. G. (Soviet stock
company.
There we're several deaths"
IL Workers Reported Shot.
The paper said the Soviet di-
vision commander in the urani-
UNI territory had IL workers shot
after a drumhead courtmartial.
It said this touched off a Sympa-
thy strike of 100000 workers in
neighboring areas.
Many SED Offices were put to
the torch. it said, and three per-
sons were killed and 100 wound
ed in the riots which followed.
THE demonstrators stormed
city hall, hauled out the lore
mayor. beat him and forced him
to lead a procession carrying q
German flag in his hands," the
paper said.
Meanwhile, the Reds returned
to the American sector tonight
an American student arrested in
Berlin during Thursdays riot.
ing. He is Rudolph KasS. %, OF
CedarhurSt, N. Y, a student at
the Free University in West Ber-
lin. United States officials took
up the matter as soon as he
was reported seized with two
fellow-students while they were
taking pictures.
Two Correspondents Freed.
Two correspondents Of tht
West German news agency seizeC
by Red police during the riots
were also freed today. The!
were identified as Ernst-Al
brecht Moehlau and Bruno Sob
czak.
Mr.. Moehlau said he wa
questioned during his four day
captivity by Soviet officials il
civilian clothes. He added tina
the Russians gave no reason TO
their arrest.
Allied informantS said th'
rebels sabotage in the Sovie
zone included firing of the vas
Leuna synthetic gasoline plan
ct Halle and the destruction o
Continued on AS, Col. 81