On 14 July 1939 the Security Service in Linz reports the imprisonment of SA personnel after desecration of a cemetery in the former Czech town of Rosenberg1BArch, R 58/6562. This document has been translated from German.
Letter from the head of the Security Service of the Reichsführer SS, Sub-District Upper Danube (II 2, Mzl/R), p.p. SS-Hauptsturmführer and Staff Leader temporarily in charge of affairs (signature illegible), Linz, to the head of the Security Service in the SS Main District Danube,2The head of the SD in the SS Main District Danube was Franz Walter Stahlecker. Vienna (received on 14 July 1939), dated 14 July 1939
Re: arrests in Rosenberg.
Case file: none.
According to a report received here from the field office in Krumau, on 27 June 1939 the following individuals from Party circles were taken into custody by the State Police and taken to Linz:
Head of the local NSDAP branch in Rosenberg: Stiny, Otto,3Otto Stiny (b. 1898), farmer; joined the NSDAP in 1938; head of the local NSDAP branch in Rosenberg.
Deputy head of the NSDAP branch and town clerk: Brunner, Andreas,
Local treasurer: Watzl, Josef,
Cell head: Hufsky, Karl (SS member),4Andreas Brunner (b. 1894), foreman; joined the NSDAP in 1938. Josef Watzl (b. 1911), policeman; joined the NSDAP in 1931 and the SS in 1938. Karl Hufsky (b. 1907), non-dispensing pharmacist; joined the NSDAP in 1938.
SA-Truppführer Weber, Alois,
SA-Scharführer Hoisak, Josef,
SA member Schimek,
and one other SAmember.
The reason for this arrest is the following incident: around three weeks ago, the head of the local NSDAP branch in Rosenberg, Otto Stiny, probably to demonstrate his position of power, gave the SA the order to demolish the old Jewish cemetery dating from the fourteenth century, which is a listed monument. The execution of this ‘action’ was undertaken one evening in such a way that the gravestones, which lay scattered about, were smashed to pieces with iron bars and hammers, or damaged to such an extent that not one of the gravestones remained intact. The cemetery was left in this state of devastation. It must also be noted that the old Jewish cemetery was completely concealed by a high wall and has thus far not given rise to offence in any way. On 26 June 1939, as a result, the aforementioned individuals were taken into custody after a short hearing. It is rumoured in Rosenberg that the order for their arrest was issued in Berlin, as news of the destruction of the cemetery had been circulated by the French radio, and an English newspaper,5The file does not contain the newspaper clipping. too, had already published photographs. In this regard, it is noted that, according to individuals who live near the cemetery, it was repeatedly photographed by strangers after the destruction.6Handwritten remark: ‘Please take note!’