Foul Nest

Like Gerhart Eisler, fugitive from U.S. justice and chief of propaganda for the Reds in East Germany, many a top German Communist spent the years of Hitler's ascendancy hidden away in hospitable Western countries. A few fled eastward to the purer atmosphere of Moscow. One of these was the recently appointed East Germany Party Boss Walter Ulbricht.

Last week New Broom Ulbricht began to sweep his party clean of the influence of those who had been contaminated by contact with Western freedom. Charging them generally with "lack of trust in the Soviet Union, in which no doubt is possible," he kicked six ranking Reds out of their jobs and out of the party. Ulbricht arrested all six on charges of conspiring with U.S. Relief Worker Noel Havilan Field, whom Ulbricht sneeringly described as "the American spy and merciful Samaritan." Field, a onetime Communist sympathizer who disappeared mysteriously in Central Europe last year (TIME, Oct. 24), has become a favorite Communist purge scapegoat. It was for conspiring with Field that Hungary's top deviationists were purged a year ago.

The six charged last week with working with Field included dark, sneering Leo Bauer, boss of Radio Berlin; former SED Executive Committee Member Paul Merker, who spent the war years in Mexico; Lex Ende, onetime editor of Neues Deutschland, official party organ; Railways Boss Willy Kriekemeyer, and dapper little Bruno Goldhammer, Eisler's own second-in-command at the propaganda bureau. Though still at liberty and at his job last week, Gerhart Eisler, who was kicked off the Central Committee two months ago, was reported to be high on the list of those soon to be purged.

"A nest of class enemies has been smoked out," explained East Germany's Communist hierarchy. "This will go on until foul liberalism is finished."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.