Intimidation of Social Democrats - From Goering's order, 22 February 1933
Intimidation of the Social Democrats - From Goering's order, 22 February 1933
Source: J. Noakes & G. Pridham, Documents on Nazism 1919-1945 ,(London, 1974), pp.169-170. 24.ii.33:
Grzesinski (former SPD Police-President in Berlin) to the SPD Secretaries Franz Klupsch (Dortmund), Paul Roehle (Frankfurt am Main), Paul Bugdahn (Altona) and Richard Hansen (Kiel) on the need to cancel meetings. Dear Comrade, The incidents of the past few days in the meetings of those comrades who might be called prominent have prompted the Party committee this morning to examine the question whether, in the interests of our audiences, it would not be better to withdraw these speakers, of which I am one, for the time being. Several of my meetings have been disrupted and a considerable section of the audience had to be taken away badly injured. In agreement with the Party committee, I therefore request the cancellation of meetings with me as speaker. As things are, there is obviously no longer any police protection sufficient to check the aggressive actions of the SA and SS at my meetings. In Hindenburg Comrade Noelting barely escaped being killed. I had a similar experience in Langenbielau. One of my companions was knocked down. In Breslau last night a terrible disaster was only prevented by the chance delay of SA formations which had been mobilized. None the less, a great number were injured, and in a city which has so far been able to prevent the disruption of meetings by opponents. I myself deeply regret having to inform you of this and having to reach this decision. It was only made after thorough consultation with members of the Party committee and after similar decisions were made about other comrades. The dog whip seems to have annoyed the Nazis quite a bit. Nevertheless, with Party greetings and Freedom!
