Re: Schwarze Chronik Hamburg, parts 7 + 8
Looking at these police ledger transcripts for 1931 and 1932, one can see and practically feel the enmity between the National Socialists and Communists brewing towards an explosion. The competing factions were in fact wrestling for control of Germany itself, and the hatred between the two political factions was deadly. Interesting that the police invariably seemed to lower their guns at the Reds (or was it vice versa?), and not the National Socialists. Hmmm... leaves one to wonder why.
At least no American gangsters show up this time, although 250 kilos of illegal morphine seized just before the holidays certainly raises an eyebrow (as it would anywhere). Nice/sad to see we're not the only fools plagued by these kinds of criminal abberations.
- 1931 -
Jan 26 Bloody road battle in Geesthacht between communists and National Socialists. 2 dead, several severely wounded.
Aug 27 Police patrolman Perske shot by communists in front of house on Chateauneuf street.
Dec 05 250 kilos of morphine seized in Freihafen. Drug affair [Del Gracio]
Dec 13 Bloody communist riots at the Hamburg Cathedral, 5 hurt, 1 dead.
- 1932 -
Apr 10 Heinz Brands and Harry Hahn (NSDAP/National Socialists) shot by communists on Ausschl�ger way.
May 19 Bloody collisions between Nazis and communists in front of local restaurant Zum Anker in Schaarmarket. 1 dead.
Jun 17 Heavy gunfight between communists and police in St. Georg [quarter]. Police patrolmen Vagt and Helmet shot down, both deceased.
Jul 17 Bloody Sunday in Altonaer. Serious gunfight on the occasion of a SA [Nazi Stormtroop] procession between police and the Red Front Fighter League [communists], 16 dead, over 60 wounded.
Aug 01 KP (Communist Party) official George R�dl shot in gunfight between police and communists at the Rademachergang. Patrolman Haase deceased after being shot in the belly.
Oct 12 Police Captain Lauckenmann shot by communists in Eilbeck Park.
Oct 31 SS-man Cyranka shot in St. Georg [district/quarter].
Revealing peek back into the affairs of the police in one North German city at this most tumultuous period.
Jb
PS. HPA question: Do the Hamburg ledgers list the NS as both "Nationalsozialisten" and "Nazis"? If the abbreviated form is listed in some of the pages, I'm surprised I do not see "Kommis" also, as there was little love loss between the Reds and the police [and since the "Sozis" avoided most street battles and martial conflict in general, it's not surprising there is hardly a peep from their ranks in all this].