Hitler and the Anti-jewish Excesses in Berlin on Rosh Hashanah: Wants to Be Called As Witness in Tri

The trial of Count Helldorf, the Berlin Commandant of the Hitlerist storm troops, his Chief-of-Staff, Ernst, the Berlin Chief of the Steel Helm, Brandt, and two other Hitlerist officials, Damerow and Schulz, was opened to-day, with District Court Director Schmitz as Presiding Judge.

Six leading Hitlerist lawyers, among them Dr. Frank, of Munich, Hitler’s own personal lawyer, are conducting the Defence.

Dr. Frank began with a long speech, which took several hours, objecting to the case being tried by Dr. Schmitz and Law Councillor Thiemann, because they had conducted the trial against the other Hitlerist rioters, who have been sent to prison for participation in the excesses. During the earlier proceedings, he said, the Judges had expressed their conviction that Count Helldorf was guilty, so that they had already condemned him before the trial.

The court, which had tried the other accused in connection with the outbreak, Dr. Frank said, had plenty of sympathy with the “Oi-Wei” Jews, but none with the Nazi warriors.

Advocate Freisler, another of the Nazi lawyers, followed with a demand that Judge Schmitz should be removed from the case, alleging that he has Jewish relatives, and is, therefore, prejudiced in favour of the Jews. Advocate Everling, who represents the Steel Helm Commandant, Brandt, followed this up with an objection against the jurymen, on the ground that they are too Jewish-looking.

The court then adjourned till to-morrow, to consider the objections lodged by the Counsel for the Defence.

Hitler is reported to have instructed Dr. Frank to propose to the court that he (Hitler) should be called as a witness, so that he would have an opportunity of delivering a big propaganda speech, which, as part of the court proceedings, would be assured of wide publicity in the press.