1930's Reporting

Here's an article from the Guardian archive:

Nazi thugs cut their teeth in Brunswick

FA Voigt
Wednesday March 30, 1932
The Guardian


There are ugly stories from some of the chief German cities about the way in which the Nazi "forces" are acting . Our special correspondent has paid a visit of investigation.
For half a year, a Nazi, Herr Klagges, has been minister of the interior in the Free State of Brunswick. The coalition government has only two members - the other is the minister of finance, a Nationalist. Whenever the Nazis take office they demand the Ministry of Interior because it gives them control over the police.
Their spell of power in Brunswick is a kind of rehearsal. The Nazi storm troops (called SA men) have living quarters which they use as barracks. They also have lorries on which they race along at great speed, the swastika (their anti-Semitic symbol) fluttering over the bonnet. The sides of the lorries can be clapped down so that the inmates can jump out at a moment's notice.
The storm troops leap down; blows from cudgels, knives, preservers, knuckle dusters are dealt out, heads are cut open, arms raised in self defence are broken or bruised and crouching backs or shoulders are beaten black and blue. Sometimes shots are fired and knives are drawn.

The police find a man lying dead or several lying unconscious with concussion of the brain, or staggering away clasping an abdominal knife wound or holding a broken head .

Never is there any cause for such an assault, only a pretence of "comrades in danger" that will serve as an excuse for the assault. The lorry with its load of hooligans can be seen racing along almost any day. Nothing is done to stop the abominations.

The [anti-Nazi paramilitary] Reichsbanner is growing rapidly, flying columns are being organised. The leaders are having some trouble in restraining their men, for hatred of the Nazis and resentment for the toleration shown them by a partisan government and bitterness for the falsehoods that are allowed to appear in their newspapers, while the anti-Fascist newspapers are continually being censored or suppressed, are boiling up into a burning and general fury. But if the Reichsbanner were to retaliate, storm the Nazi barracks, it would totally suppressed. Thus the anti-Fascist movement that grows in numbers and efficiency remains on the defensive.

Will a whole nation, one of of the greatest and most civilised in the world, be handed over to the brute the blackguard, and the charlatan? No one can tell. But Brunswick is an ominous foreshadowing.