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I was taken then to a jail for investigation. And from there, I was
transferred to the Gestapo [secret state police] in Graz--about 60
or 70 kilometers...kilometers--in the capital city of Styria. And
there, I was threatened by the Gestapo men: "and then you're going
to see what will happen, if you take a Fuehrerless stand!" And I
was charged with demoralizing, you know, the spirit of the
recruits, by making statements that I will never give an oath to
Hitler [the Fuehrer], I will never fight for him, I will never wear
the Nazi insignias, and that I rather be willing to die than to
serve Hitler. And for that reason, I was put before a special court
of three judges. And uh they also uh assigned a lawyer what
supposed to defend me. But he said, "what shall I do if you don't
give up? You know, it will be not much use." And then the judges
based their judgment on my faith. And "we respect your stand," one
of the judges said, "but because of the situation Germany is in,
your statements before recruits is very damaging. And we must
sentence you to five years' hard labor."
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