The so-called «public enemies» and the so-called «elite» are victims of the same murderer system, which preserves its friends just as little as its enemies. Only the methods of destruction are different. And the form of the death notices.
The 70 German pilots, who were taken pow's of the Republic, were surprised that they were treated so decently. Some of them only by chance escaped from being «killed by their fellow pilots». Because there was an order to shoot fellow pilots without pity, who saved themselves by parachute jump from the falling airplane behind the republican lines. To be sure that they could not tell anything!
The depositions of the prisoners are different regarding their personal fate. Some came because of money, others hoped to make a career. A third one was looking for an adventure. The fourth one only wanted once to see the world outside of Germany. Most of them could not explain the true reasons, for which they had come. They had been told, it were a war «against the Russians», several explained. Asked what the Russians had actually done to them, they already didn't know an answer. And they had to admit, that they had seen in the meantime, even on Francos side, that the peoples front does not consist of Russians. Most of them admitted, they had been forced to go to Spain. No one was a real «volunteer» or acted because of idealistic reasons. All of them said they were under pressure of the Hitler government. Wether they needed the money for themselves or their family or by refusing to go they risked their career or even more. Nevertheless, many of them made a declaration that they would not again give way to such pressure, at any cost.
No one had a real sympathy for Franco's Spain. During their service in Spain they had a feeling of being in an enemy's country. They had felt that they were despised and been feared by the population and even hated by the rebel soldiers.
The moral condition of these mercenaries is reflected in the diary recordings of the second lieutenant Schulz, who was captured on May 5, 1937 by the basque troops:
«30. January. Little drinking with Schlosser. I, officer in charge. Ruetsch and Schlosser come in very comradely mood to the brothel.
10. February. Have been this evening in Almaron. Struempel Glisa, Radusch, Trauthof, Botmer, Mehrhardt, Drücker,
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