Nazi Demonstration Swiftly Dispersed by Viennese Police

An attempt by Nazis to repeat yesterday’s demonstration, was quickly crushed by the police, reinforced by the Military Garrison of Vienna. Thousands of Nazis gathered in and around the Wiednar Hauptstrasse with the object of marching through the commercial quarter and repeating yesterday’s scenes. The whole area was swiftly cleared by the action of the police and military, whose mild handling of the previous demonstration had been severely scored by Viennese tradesmen, whose business had suffered in the recent demonstration.

During the past few days, Viennese merchants, both Jews and non-Jews, as well as tourist agencies, had made representations to the Viennese authorities to the effect that business suffered severely as a result of the frequent closing down of shops during rowdy demonstrations, and that foreign tourists would be deterred from coming to Vienna, if the impression were spread abroad that the authorities could not ensure their security.

Merchants have also pointed to the considerable expense involved in cleaning their windows of Nazi inscriptions and posters every time a Nazi demonstration passed.

It is hoped, in the meantime, that the rather tense atmosphere will be relieved as a result of the release of the ten Nazis, who had been sentenced to imprisonment for throwing stench bombs into Jewish shops during a demonstration held on the Sunday before last Christmas. They had already been incarcerated for some time before their conviction.