Ethics of Political Gangsterdom -
" A THRILLING narrative of secret poliee'work on the frontiers espionage and Mounter-espionage . . " So the- lurid blui-V on the dust cover. Nothing could give a falser impression of the contents of this fascinating book. Disjointed, often Unin- telligible for lack of background, totally lacking in 'literarY skill, it will have no appeal to the thriller public to whoin the blurb appeals. But for a student of post-War Germany it' is fi document. of considerable value. Its defects as a narrative, and its transparent truthfulness, give it a touch of realism which Salomon's Outlaws lacked. At last we are given glimpse into the life of the Condottieri who played so large tl part in German life up to the Treaty of Locarno. Unemployed ex-soldiers, and unemployed students; with no notion of or interest in politics were utilised by the Rciehswehr, by the parties of the right and by the Goveranient for frontier defence, for political, murders, for the suppression of cony munism and for Ruhr sabotage. Knowing only loyalty to the gang, they did the dirty work Which their leaders, Schlageter, Rossbach;:Heinz or Rohm ordained. The Fehm murder was for them an obvious and unquestioned necessity ; law and order their natural enemies, and factual friends.
The story which Glombowski tells will be quite unintel ligible to anyone not versed in post-War German history. 00' paints no background precisely, because he does not know one., All he knows is that while he was officially a criminal, un- officially he was paid and honoured by high officials of the Iteichswehr and of the Democracy. Cut off from all sense of community save with the members of his gang, he was utilised by society for ends he never understood, and exonerated by the Judges of crimes which their colleagues Jiad ordered him to commit.
The ethical values lie gained in fulfilling his task—loyalty to . his boss; brutality to anyone'hewas told to oppoSe, dependence on the law to acquit him of crime and a burning loyalty to a Germany composed of himself and his felloyv-gangsters were the ethical values of the S.A.
Clombowski draws a veil over his activities after 1923. That is perhaps wiser after the 30th of June. For it was he and his like whom Hitler employed to clean up Germany and prepare the way for National Socialism; Up to June 30th, 1934, these men were the rulers :of.:the :revolution, the local satraps of National Socialism. Is it to be wondered at that certain " excesses " were committed in the name of Nazi law ? The leopard cannot change his spots, and in order to bring a sem- blance of law and order in Germany the S.A. gangsters had to be suppresied by the Reichswehr, their leaders shot or tamed in concentration camps. Frontiers of Terror could well have as its sub-title " The Ethics of Political Gangsterdom; study of National Socialist Philosophy." If Hitler ever reads this book, will he heave a sigh • for the comrades he had to butcher in order to make Germany safe fot the Reicleiwehr
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