The Thousand Conspiracy - Secret Germany Behind the Mask
Paul Winkler
Charles Scribner’s Sons©1943
New York
381 pps. – First Edition – Out-of-print
-----
"I know no way of judging the future but by the past."
PATRICK HENRY
[Speech at the Virginia Assembly, May 1765]
--[4b]--
A Job Well Done
The C Organization as a unit, or its members, can be traced in most of the
post-war assassinations of outstanding political personalities. In the
regulations of the revived Fehme, where the "punishment of traitors" is
mentioned, not only those who actually betray secrets of any of the
organizations involved are intended. All who wanted Gennany to take the path
of democracy were considered "traitors"—traitors because they opposed the
direction desired by the Prusso-Teutonics, the only direction "worthy of a
German"—according to the very particular understanding of this clique. Since
they were traitors, they must be killed. . . . And as a result of this
reasoning, the German democratic leaders were all disposed of, one by one. Of
course the Fehme had even better reasons for acting promptly in cases such as
that of the Bavarian Deputy Gareis in 1921, when Gareis threatened to expose
the Fehme crimes and those responsible for them.
It must be admitted that the methods applied were effective. By 1920 all the
democratic parties had lost their leaders through assassination. Those who
remained at the head of these parties were men who had neither power nor
prominence—and they were terrorized. (It is thus not surprising that the
German emigration which followed Hitler's accession to power has not yet been
able to produce an able leader from among the German statesmen of the
different democratic parties.)
Thus the stage was set for the seizure of power by a group which would
control Germany according to the desires of the Prusso-Teutonics and which
would serve as a front to the latter. The Nazi Party, which was one of the
candidates for this role, was mentioned more and more frequently. Less and
less was said about the Felune crimes and the Consul Organization. Since the
tasks entrusted to this organization had been finished the latter could now
sink into oblivion.
By 1930 we can find the men who had been Ehrhardt's trusted lieutenants
occupying important posts in the Navy, in the Administrative offices of the
Admiralty and in the General Staff of the Fleet. Werner Tillessen, one of the
foremost "men of many tasks" in the Consul Organization, whose name, together
with that of his brother, had figured frequently during the course of most of
the trials involving Felime assassinations, was by then Vice-Admiral.
Services rendered were well paid! When the officers had accomplished their
tasks as Fehme assassins, they returned to the Army or the Navy-holding
higher rank than before because of time passed in the performance of "duties
of a special nature."
The Black Reichswehr
While the staff of the Consul Organization consisted of naval officers, that
of the Rossbach Organization was composed of army officers. Both
organizations worked hand and glove. No difficulties arose between them, and
from time to time—they lent each other their strong-arm men. The absence of
conflict between these two terrorist groups, which one might expect to find
competing with one another, can easily be explained by the fact that both
organizations were acting in separate spheres but on behalf of the same
controlling interests.
The C Organization was concerned primarily with disposing of major political
figures—men in the public eye. The Rossbach Organization was dedicated to the
execution of lesser lights, who might hinder the Junkers as well as the
day-by-day work of secret rearmament. The C Organization functioned
throughout Germany, and was particularly active in areas where a certain
strengthening of the democratic parties. was noticed. The Rossbach
Organization was more active in Prussia itself, looking after the local
interests of the Junkers, on whose estates the units of the organization had
been set up. Therefore the connections of the Rossbach Organization with the
Junkers. were of necessity more apparent than those maintained with the same
interests by the C Organization.
The Rossbach Organization was founded in December, 1918, by Lieutenant
Gerhard Rossbach of the 175th Infantry Regiment with the remnants of his
regiment. He tried to keep together the men who rallied around him after the
debacle by hiding them on the estates of the East-Prussian landlords. Out of
this a few months-later Rossbach formed a "Sturintruppe" (assault troop), now
admitting to membership officers and soldiers from all the armed forces. The
Rossbach forces called themselves an "Arbeitsgemeinschaft" (work cooperative)
to conceal the military character of their organization from the Armistice
Commission. They were to be placed in small units on the estates of the
Junkers where they would carry out their activities.
The Junkers had decided -to hide on their estates the implements of war which
the army was able to salvage after Germany's defeat. For the Prusso-Teutonics
these were a. powerful trump, to be used in the future reconstruction of
their forces. They had no doubts as to this. reconstruction, although they
did not yet see clearly the exact form it would take.
It is enlightening that the secret rearming, which was being carried on in
defiance of the Armistice Commission, took place mainly on the very estates
of the Junkers (i.e., in the only section of Germany controlled entirely by
the Prusso-Teutonics). It is also interesting that all Junkers thus placed
their lands at the disposal of the cause without a moment's hesitation; and
that not one traitor was to be found among them who dared to oppose the
shouldering of these obligations or to carry tales to the democratic parties.
The reason for this lay in the strict secret organization of the Junkers. If
this secret organization had not existed, a simple "community of interests,"
would certainly not have been enough to force decisions so rapidly and to
insure secrecy and perfect synchronization of all actions.
The only leakage which the Junkers had reason to fear might have come from
their farm workers. The latter, of course, unlike the Junkers, were not bound
by the secrecy of the Junker organizations. They were, further, in a position
to know and reveal the spots where arms had been hidden. It was a question,
then, of terrorizing these workers and impressing on them the fact that by
talking too much they would be risking the wrath of the Fehme. The
organization of this Fehme unit was the task of the various "work
cooperatives" composed of ex-service men. Among these "cooperatives," the
Rossbach Organization soon became outstanding by virtue of the initiative and
ruthlessness of its leader.
Collectively these secret units were known as the "Black Reichswehr." Indeed,
their purpose was to keep together the staffs of the former army. These
staffs could not remain in the official Reichswehr, which had been
considerably reduced in accordance with the terms of the Armistice. A close
liaison was maintained between the two Reichswehr. This was considerably
facilitated by the fact that officers of both were serving the same cause and
obeying the same orders.
An Honorable Enterprise
The Rossbach Organization established central offices in Berlin. It was from
here that recruiting was carried on and that contact was maintained with
leaders of the Rcichswehr. These offices themselves organized a front known
as the "Deutsche Auskunftei" (German Information Bureau). The Deutsche
Auskunftei was under the official direction of Lieutenant Rossbach, and one
can imagine what was meant by the official description of the services
rendered: "Investigations, Shadowing, Escorted Journeys." The prospectus of
the bureau contained the following directions:
DEUTSCHE AUSKUNFTEI
Main Business Office: Berlin Wannsee, Otto W. Erichstrasse to; Open Day and
Night. Telephone Warmsee 613 and 793
Branch Office: Berlin W 62, Bayreutherstrasse 10—3rd floor. Business Hours:
10-4. Telephone Steinplatz 11663
Agents and Representatives sent out on your request by phone
Piivate automobile service from Berlin or Wannsee Terminal on request
Cable Address: Deutsche Auskunft Wannsee
Bank References: F. W. Krause & Co. Berlin W Behrenstrasse 2. Industrie und
Landwirtschafts Bank Berlin, Markgrafenstrasse 35
Criminal Division: Criminal Police Inspector Wilss (retired)
Political Division: Executive Director-First Lieutenant Rossbach
(retired)—Major von Berthold
Information, Stock Exchange and Cashiers' Division: Director M. L. Eberhardt
Guards and Protection Division: First Lieutenant D. H. Lukash (retired)
Legal Department: Major Bartold (retired)—Kurt Oskar Bark, Editor
Telephone Service connects with all departments.
The German democratic press of that period tried in vain to unmask the Deutsch
e Auskunftei by demonstrating that all its resources were of Junker-Prussian
origin; that it had been organized to provide those forces with strong-arm
men -the so-called "detachments of guards" for their estates; and that it had
been responsible for all Felime assassinations in Prussia east of the Elbe.
If a Prussian landlord had the slightest difficulty with his farm workers, if
he suspected them of wanting to organize a strike or of wishing to betray the
rearmament activities, the "Rossbach volunteers" would show up immediately
and attack the workers with clubs; they would not hesitate to kill those who
might become too troublesome. All "volunteers" were armed with guns, knives
and blackjacks. They were obedient to the strictest military discipline,
going so far as to snap into "at attention" in the presence of their superior
officers, although they were generally in mufti.
Despite the name, "Work Cooperative," they were not concerned with any actual
work. In a tight spot, however, the Rossbach volunteers were prepared to
furnish large armed forces at almost a moment's notice.
Petty Executions
The responsibility of the Rossbach Organization for some of the
assassinations was clearly established in the course of trials which also
ended without any significant results. The democratic press conducted
inquiries and made some interesting revelations. Gumbel tried very hard to
demonstrate the connecting links between all these Fehme assassinations but
his efforts did not arouse public opinion.
In July, 1920, the non-commissioned officer Max Krueger, of the Rossbach
corps stationed at Stecklin, learned that one of the farm workers, Willi
Schmidt, age twenty, wanted to abandon his job-and that it was being
whispered in the village that he intended to inform the police of the spot
where certain secret arms had been cached. The local Fehme of the Rossbach
corps decided to take action immediately.
Four members of the organization, Heines, Bandemer, Vogt and Ottow, paid a
visit to Schmidt, pretending to be police inspectors. Intimidated, Schmidt
left with them, supposedly to attend a hearing at the police station.
Actually he was led to an isolated spot in the vicinity and there Ottow beat
him over the head with a blackjack. It was decided to take him to the
Kehrberg forest and his wounds were dressed. On the way there Schmidt tried
to draw the attention of passers-by and cried out: "They want to kill me." No
one paid any attention to him.
Two other members of the Rossbach corps, Baer and Fraebel, now joined the
others. At last Heines ordered Baer to shoot Schmidt. Baer could not quite
make up his mind, so Heines himself shot at Schmidt twice. He was joined by
Ottow, who also fired twice. Schmidt still had sufficient strength to cry out
for help. He was knocked down and his face was pushed into the ground.
Fraebel trampled on his head and finally Ottow finished him off with ten raps
of the blackjack.
Baer now dug a pit in which the corpse was buried. But the pit was not deep
enough. A few days later the knees of the victim pushed up out of the ground
and people in the neighborhood began to speak of the assassination. After
that the assassins went back to the grave and buried their victim in a much
deeper pit.
Walter Cadow, age twenty-three, employed as overseer on an estate at Wismar
in Mecklenburg, had been admitted into membership in the local Rossbach
volunteers, having been a second lieutenant during the war. After some time
he was suspected of intending to turn witness against the Rossbach
Organization, in a trial concerning the Organization's activities, then in
session.
On May 31, 1923, following previous arrangements, members of the local Felime
got him drunk, and then all his papers were removed. It was midnight. He was
placed in a car with eight men, who, under the command of Second Lieutenant
Hoess, held their guns against him. The car was driven out to the woods.
Cadow was dragged out, stunned by blackjack blows, and, dripping with blood,
was put back into the car. They now drove him to a clearing, where he was
knocked to the ground. The entire gang trampled him with booted feet.
One of these men, Wiedemeyer, slit his throat, and Second Lieutenant Hoess
finally killed him with a bullet in the head.
Jurisch, one of the members of this particular unit, later became remorseful
and recounted the incident to the Vorwaerts—socialist newspaper of Berlin.
The crime was thus brought to the attention of the attorney-general, who
could not refuse to act. Two minor helpers in the assassination, as well as
the informer, were arrested. Finally all three were released.
The local chief of the Rossbach Organization hurriedly transported those who
had participated in the assassination to other estates in Upper Silesia. He
thus made sure that the affair would have no further repercussions. Later it
was learned that he reprimanded Hoess, leader of the unit, severely: "If you
had been a member of the Rossbach Organization for a longer time, you would
have known how such -affairs should be handled. Two men and one bullet-at
night in the woods-are all that is needed."
Around 1922-1923, the Rossbach Organization found means of introducing its
methods into the Reichswehr itself. In numerous areas throughout Germany,
local cells were organized within the regular army. These cells were named
"Reichswehrblock Rossbach" (R. W. B. R.)—Rossbach Reichswehr Section.
Indiscretions had exposed the relations between the Rossbach Organization and
a certain regiment of Magdeburg. Following this, the local R. W. B. R.
issued, in May, 1932, the following command (later revealed by the Left
press):
"In the name of the Chief: In view of the prevailing espionage, the leaders
have decided to form a so-called Fehme-unit. This will be composed only of
trustworthy men, who have been trained in pistol shooting, and shall be under
the direct command of the leaders. It will be the duty of the Fehme to
observe the movement of those who appear suspect to the leaders and to
dispose of traitors as well as politically undesirable individuals. Because
of the difficulties of this work, and the great demands it makes, only the
most reliable and trustworthy men are to be chosen."
Fehme assassinations increased in number within the Reichswehr and the
various Black Reichswehr organizations. The magazine Das andere Deutschland pu
blished in its issue of January, 1927, the following "confession":
"I, the undersigned, Hubert Caida, worker at Wreschcn, was, in 1921, a member
of the 'self-defense' organization, section Dedewitzhof, near to Twerkau,
district of Ratibor. On the night of the 18th or 19th of May, 1921, I, along
with another member of the organization, received orders from Lieutenant
Petrich to follow the tavern proprietor Miketta, from Dedewitzhof to
Benkowitz, and to shoot him dead, somewhere along the way. On the road from
Dedewitzhof to Twerkau, Miketta walked a few steps in front of us, his hands
in his pockets, smoking his pipe, and without suspicion. We said that we
would accompany him right up to the door of his house where his wife awaited
his return. Miketta was three steps ahead of me when, in accordance with my
instructions, I shot him in the head. He died on the spot. I am sorry to have
killed Miketta, but I thought I had to carry out the orders of my superior,
Lieutenant Petrich.
"Wreschen, November 27, 1926
Hubert Caida."
Erich Pannier, a young baker aged twenty-one, was active in a Ruhr detachment
of the Black Reichswehr in 1923. He became suspect to his superiors and when,
in May, 1923, he did not return from a leave within the required time,
Sergeant Schirmann was sent out after him, arresting him at the home of his
parents. On the street, Pannier slipped away from Schirmann, cried out for
help from the Black Reichswehr, and begged a policeman to protect him.
Despite protestations by the Sergeant, who showed his papers to the
policeman, the latter conducted Pannier to the police station. The
commissioner there telephoned the general staff of the Third Army Division,
requesting instructions. He was told that a second lieutenant would be sent
over immediately to call for Pannier. Later a second lieutenant and another
man presented themselves to the commissioner, and they took custody of
Pannier, whom they then led away. The commissioner did not realize that the
officer was really Second Lieutenant Benn of the Black Reichswehr. (In the
course of the trial, where these incidents were revealed, it was never
explained how a telephone call to the general staff of a regular division of
the German army could have led to the dispatching of men of the Black
Reichswehr.) Two days later, on orders of Berm, Pannier was killed in the
woods with an axe by Sergeant Schirmann and Privates Aschenkampf and Stein.
The day following the crime, Schirmarm. left for Berlin carrying a letter
addressed to Lieutenant Paul Schulz, whose name figures in many of these
assassinations. Schulz seems to have been one of the principal organizers of
the Black Reichswehr Fehme. Sergeant Fahlbusch, who made accusations against
Schulz during the course of a trial of Fehme crimes, was later, in January,
1931, found asphyxiated in a motor boat. His death was never cleared up.
The Nazis and the Fehme
It is curious to observe the relationship between the postwar Felime
organizations and the Nazi party. That numerous murderers from the C
Organization, the Rossbach Organization and the various detachments of the
Black Reichswehr became members of the Nazi party around 1930, is in itself
not astonishing. It can be explained simply by the general attraction which
the party held for the masses, and particularly among nationalist elements.
But we have seen how, as early as 1923, the Wikingbund, closely connected to
the C Organization, adopted in its statutes the program of the
National-Socialist party as its political ideal. On the other hand, Rossbach
was official representative for Hitler in North Germany during this same
period. When the police of Thuringia on January 26, 1923, arrested 373
members of the Rossbach Organization, including forty officers (as related in
the Frankfurter Zeitung of January 28, 1923), it was discovered that all of
them were to report to the Congress of the National-Socialist party,
convening in Munich. The police found numerous guns and blackjacks on the
men, and in many cases they wore uniforms beneath their civilian clothes. A
great many of them wore swastikas.
In 1923, the Nazi party was not yet as feared and as influential as it was to
be at a later time. Nevertheless the two powerful Fehme associations, the C
Organization and the Rossbach Organization, maintained consistent connections
with it. This was due only to the fact that all three organizations were
agencies acting for the same group of interests.
The ties of the C Organization with the Junkers and with the Reichswehr,
loyal servants of the Prusso-Teutonics, were clearly revealed during the
course of various trials. That there was a connection between the Rossbach
Organization and the Prussian landlords was an open secret, since almost all
of their activity had taken place on lands of the latter. It is clear that by
maintaining a regular relationship with both organizations, the Nazi party
was cultivating its connections with the hidden powers which were at the same
time behind both organizations—the entire Junker-Prussian clique.
Yet there had been reason to believe from time to time that the Nazi movement
would one day come to a head in a separatist revolt of the different German
regions against Prussian centralization. This was true especially when
Hitler—in the beginning of his movement—had close ties with the Bavarian
separatists under the leadership of Kahr. The Number Two leader of the Nazi
party, Gregor Strasser, thought he could maintain great independence with
respect to the Prusso-Teutonic forces. Captain Roehm deluded himself with the
idea that his "Praetorian Guards," the S. A., were sufficiently strong to
enable the party to realize its own ends without the necessity of submitting
to any outside forces. Hitler himself, entirely without scruples, did not
oppose his lieutenants. He welcomed all alliances, and all slogans, so long
as these might be of value to him. Basically, he was never under any illusion
as to what were the truly dominant forces in Germany. He knew very well that
his assumption of power in Germany some day would be made possible only if he
gave these forces absolute guarantees that he would serve them faithfully
from the moment he had the controls.
Despite his passing flirtations in other directions, Hitler wisely maintained
contacts with the Prusso-Teutonic elements through Rossbach and Ehrhardt, and
through his own henchman, Goering. This state of affairs continued until the
time in 1932 and particularly in January, 1933, when he concluded a "life and
death" alliance with the Junker forces. This became possible only after the
"neutralization" of Hifidenburg, who alone among these elements had, up to
that time, refused to approve the choice of the Austrian corporal as the 64
super factotum" selected to serve the Prussian cause.
As early as 1924, when appearances ran counter to the conclusion he set down,
E. J. Gumbel in his book, Verscbwoerer, published in Berlin, had written the
following:
"In its deepest foundations, National-Socialism contains but little more than
Prussian militarism."
pps. 117-153
--[cont]--
Aloha, He'Ping,
Om, Shalom, Salaam.
Em Hotep, Peace Be,
All My Relations.
Omnia Bona Bonis,
Adieu, Adios, Aloha.
Amen.
Roads End
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