HC Deb 20 May 1946 vol 423 cc25-7
53. Mr. Wilson Harris

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what ground all German memorials of the 1914–18 war are to be destroyed.

57. Mr. Nigel Birch

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has any statement to make on the directive signed by the Allied Control Authority in Berlin on 13th May, ordering the destruction of war memorials of the 1914–18 war.

58. Mr. Molson

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will take steps to secure the reversal of the decision of the allied authorities in Berlin to destroy all German war memorials erected to those who were killed in the war of 1914–18.

Mr. J. Hynd

I am aware that a number of Press reports on this subject have been inaccurate, and I fully appreciate the feeling of hon. Members. The directive, which has been approved by the Allied Control Authority in Berlin, is confined to the destruction of memorials which Tend to preserve and keep alive the German military tradition, to revive militarism or to commemorate the Nazi Party, or are such as to glo ify incidents of war. and is not intended to apply to memorials of artistic or utility value when the purposes of the directive can be achieved by the removal of objectionable parts, nor does it require the destruction of tombstones erected at the places where members of regular formations died on the field of battle.

Mr. Harris

Does the Minister think that a memorial of the 1914–18 war has anything to do with the Nazis, and, in any case, does he really think that this kind of thing is worth while? Will he take steps to see that, whatever is done in other zones, this is not done in the British zone?

Mr. Hynd

The directive in question is a quadripartite directive and is in accordance with the purposes of the Potsdam Agreement. The application of the directive will be in the discretion of the zone Commander, within the terms of the directive, and it is certainly not the intention, so far as the British zone is concerned, and I can answer for no other zone, that a memorial's character, as such, will be destroyed or interfered with.

Mr. Birch

Does not the Minister think that the time has now come to refuse to agree to the issue of orders which he obviously believes to be wrong rather than attempt to wriggle out of them later?

Mr. Hynd

I am not aware of any attempt to wriggle out. I am accepting full responsibility for accepting this particular directive, but the question raised by the hon. Member opposite opens up much wider considerations than it is possible to answer in connection with this Question

Mr. Benn Levy

Will the Minister say whether the official quadripartite view is that the existence of such memorials in any country is dangerously inflammatory, or whether it is only some peculiarity of the German national character which makes it so beneficial to hurt and offend their bereaved?

Mr. Hynd

The quadripartite Control Authority in Berlin has, of course, no powers whatever to pass any directives or laws in connection with what may operate in territories outside their own control.

Mr. Eden

Will the Minister himself consider how he could possibly carry out the directive?

Mr. Hynd

The words of the directive are: "The destruction or removal of memorials which tend to perpetuate the Nazi tradition," and so on. The terms I have quoted, and the proviso, ensure that an object of essential public utility or architectural value shall not be destroyed or otherwise liquidated. There are other provisos, which I do not propose to read, but this proviso, in regard to the main content of the directive, will make it practicable for our administration in the British zone to carry it out.

Mr. Molson

In view of the general obscurity of this directive, will the Minister give an undertaking to the House that no war memorial in the British zone that was erected before the coming into power of the Nazis shall be destroyed?

Hon. Members

No.

Mr. Hynd

That would obviously be a breach of our commitments to the quadripartite Council, to which we are fully committed, and would raise entirely constitutional questions.

Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

Does not the Minister recognise that it would be extremely difficult to distinguish between one memorial and another as to their respective types, and does it not actually smack of sacrilege to destroy any memorials which have been erected by the German people to their dead?

Mr. Harris

I beg to give notice that I will raise this matter at an early opportunity on the Motion for the Adjournment

Mr. De la Bère

It is thoroughly unsatisfactory.