Dr. Joseph Mueller, Bavarian Minister of Justice, today announced that he is taking a leave of absence from his post until after a verdict is issued in the case of Philip Auerbach, former head of the Bavarian Restitution Office whose trial here is now attracting wide attention throughout West Germany.
Dr. Mueller was charged by opposition speakers last week in the Bavarian Parliament with accepting a bribe from one of the defendants in the Auerbach case. He admitted taking money, but said that it was used for charitable purposes. He denied that he had at any time interfered with the Auerbach trial.
Before the trial started, a number of German newspapers took it for granted that Mr. Auerbach was guilty in making state restitution payments for non-existent Jewish victims of Nazism. This is no longer the case now as the trial progresses. On the other hand, the trial is being utilized by Nazi elements to stimulate anti-Semitism.
A United States official has been attending the trial as observer since its opening on Passover. American authorities in Germany are also paying special attention to the reaction in the German press with regard to the trial. Reports analysing the press reaction are being sent to the State Department in Washington since the Auerbach case has become a political affair involving Bavarian state officials.
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