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Introduction
The question of a " hard ? or " soft " peace for G-ermany
and the measures. considered necessary to prevent a. third world
war are the subject of very heated discussion.  In numerous
articles and in the speeches of statesmen and Politicians the
question of the degree of responsibility of the Germans as a
people and as a nation for the acts of the Nazi regime is
vigorously contested.
The Free Germans in their publications have many times
stressed the historical responsibility of the Germans as a, people
far the crimes committed by the .Nazi Government. As Germans
they told their people that, by their continued support of Hitle.r,
they every day further endanger Mhe existence and the future of
Germany. After this war the Free Peoples will know how to
safeguard the peace against future German aggression.  This
necessity  does not arise  from   plans  of -,power  politics
directed against Germany, but is solely the- consequence of the
fact that the vast majority of Germans have not yet carried out
any visible and effective acts against Hitler which could contri-
bute towards a more speedy termination of the war.   Firm
measures of security to safeguard peace are in the interest of all
free peoples, and not least of the German people themselves.-
Is it then contradictory if after these 'statements, we now
offer to our British friends this material, describing the heroic
and admirable fight of old and new anti-Nazi Germans in France
under the, Nazi occupation?  Have we not just spoken of the
responsibility of a whole peop-le for the vile acts of its govern-
ment?   On every front in this war and in Germany itself there
have been tens of thousands of Germans from every section of
the people and every political party who have paid with their
blood for their fight against Hitlerismi. By telling of ihem and of
their deeds, of their efforts to lead the German People back to the
path of peace and humanity, we are showing the whole measure
of responsibility of the German People zwho gave them no
.hearing.  They cannot say that within their ranks there were
none to show them the right path. They were there, but they
were not followed. More, by their active or passive support of
Hitler the German people enabled the Gestapo and Himmler's
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