VICTIMS OF NAZISM
Sire,—In Western Germany the VVN ('Association of Victims of Nazism') is threatened with proscrip- tion as a 'Communist' organisation.
The VVN has four presidents. Dr. Rossaint is a former Catholic Youth leader imprisoned by the Nazis. Alois Karrenbauer is a former Social Demo- crat official who served with the French Resistance. With Cronauer is a former Social Democrat Mem- ber of the Bavarian Parliament. Only one, Oskar Muller, is a former Communist. It would be odd if former Communists were not strongly repre- sented in the VVN, since Communists formed such a high proportion of the Nazis' victims. Its ordinary membership is of about 30,000. Of these 80 per cent. are actual survivors of the concentration camps. The others are either children of parents killed by the Nazis or people who fought against the Nazis in the Allied Forces or underground. Martin Niemoller is an active supporter of the VVN. It was recognised and approved by all four of the Occupying Powers.
The first aim of the VVN is to secure proper com- pensation for victims of the Nazis. The second is to extirpate Nazism and militarism from Germany. It seems too probable that this second aim has in- curred the hostility of the present German Govern- ment, as in the case of Der Spiegel. The VVN was instrumental in exposing as ex-Nazis and active anti-Semites two former Ministers of Dr. Adenauer: Dr. Oberiaender and Dr. Globke.
This present action against the VVN has been delayed two years, presumably from fear of rousing hostile liberal opinion abroad. At a time when we may be on the verge of 'going into Europe,' it is important that such opinion should be expressed in liberal organs here.
ROBERT BOLT
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