European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday August 25. 19b7 the stars and stripes Page 3 Hess secret burial surprises Wun Siedel news brings Relief to town family mum on grave site by de re a vis staff writer runs Tdel in Many a sigh of Relief ran through this Lown monday when residents i Ard Rudolf Hess had been buried secretly Ai an unknown place and nol  was a Surprise to us All he May or s Secretary Christine Samet said but also a great Relief Afler the news sunk  mayor Karl Walter said that he was surprised by the news. Family Mem Bers had Lold him Hal they intended o fulfil the former Hitler Deputy s wish Tobe buried in the family plot in this North pm bavarian Village. Waller said Wieland Hess Nephew of Hess son informed him by Telephone monday afternoon but said he was unable to say when or where the services took place. The relaxed atmosphere of his quiet Little own at the foot of the Fiche age Birge Mountain Chain was put into a tur Moil shortly after it was announced Hess would be buried Here. Over the weekend police picked up 80 Neo nazis for causing a disturbance and smearing a bus with nazi slogans including jews perish said Roland Weber police spokesman in nearby Hof. Seventeen of the Neo nazis were still being held  addition More than Iso journalists invaded the town 11 Miles from the czechoslovakian Border to witness the  intrusion began the Day Rudolf Hess died in Spandau military prison in Berlin and it was announced he would be buried according to his wishes in the family grave in Wun Siedel no one was less Happy about the in flux than Walter the mayor of this Ham let of 10,000 said Friday he had hoped i would be a discreet ceremony without much Media. "1 personally hoped the body would be cremated in Berlin and the urn quietly brought Here without it turning into the Media show that has since developed. Perhaps it was a mistake by the allies to keep Hess imprisoned so Long. Pity can also make martyrs. There s a danger that his Long imprisonment will Over Shadow his deeds and what he stood for and the circumstances of his death is grist for the Rumor Mill Waller said. Walter said Many in Wun Siedel feared the grave in the protestant churchyard would become a rallying Silc for Neo nazis. He never recanted his deeds nor his loyalty to Adolf Hitler. It a quid have been difficult for Wun Siedel u urn Down the family request for burial. Waller said. The family Dales Back o at least 17-40 when an ancestor Shoami incr Peter he a was buried in the City. Bui Rudolf Hess visited Wun Siedel Only Isicc. True he was made an Honor Ary citizen of the town during the third Reich but that was revoked after the War All the a lyrics you might hear about personal contacts with Hess in Nunsie Del Are greatly exaggerated Walter said. The Small churchyard where Hess was to be buried is almost in the Center of town. Until saturday afternoon when Neo nazis tried to demonstrate there it was open and full of people who came to View the grave site. Conversations and some arguments developed Between the visitors ill be curious How they explain away the Marks on Hess Throat a 60-year old Man said. Hess was a wonderful Guy and we All liked him said the Man who refused to give his name. It Hurt us that he was kept imprisoned so Long. He. Was t like the other party types who liked to strut around with a pistol strapped around i hair waists. Nobody Here believes he killed himself. Hess went to England Roget the British and americans to join Germany against the  nonsense said a 56year-old Man who said he was vacationing in the area. Hess was a nobody and let s remember what he stood for. The real martyrs died in the concentration Camps this is Al being played up by the Media. Of course there Are hundreds who come to see the grave but Only out of curiosity nol be cause they Honor  the supposed grave site was guarded by  policemen who carried Walkie talkies. Video cameras were in stalled i n the upper rooms of the caretaker s House and uniformed polite a Irol cd he perimeter of the churchyard. Klaus Beier 20, was picked up by police Friday morning for causing a disturbance at the grave site nut by Early eve Ning he was Back in the churchyard the police were polite but firm Beier said. They said i had caused a illegal meeting of people at the grave site. Visitors look Over the family Pool where officials had expected Hess to be burled. I was Reading what Hess told the British after his Frigm to England. That he was trying to make peace but the British re fused because they wanted to crush Ger Many. The police knew everything about me All my political activities and my Pri vate life. They told me logo Back Home to the Odenwald but i la be damned if i la  Sicgel 51-year-old owner of the hotel Kro Prinz von Bayern said monday morning the Lown was split on opinions of Hess burial even after the weekend demonstrations. I have no great memories of the War because of my age. I do remember the americans arriving and that they Irea cd us very Well. I m Lold Hess did much for the Lown As Long As he was in office so Many peo ple think kindly about him Siegol said. They feel it was t Correct 10 keep him imprisoned longer than people like Schirach and Speer. Baldur von Schirach was Hitler s youth minister and Albert up car his architect and armaments minister. Both were released from Spandau in 1966. The Man behind the bar at the brat  res Laurall which faces the Monument of the town s most famous son author Jean Paul 1763-1825said Friday the town was on hold so to speak waiting to Sec if it would suffer from the  person not on hold was Eliza Beth to Chringer owner of a Large  have Freedom of speech and expression in this country and i use it she said pointing to inc display of books by nazi leaders in her window. To Chringer also had no qualms about having her picture taken with anole or rarity in her hands a set of reproductions of Hitler s Watercolours. She Sells the seven pictures for 9s Marks. Wilhelm  who owns the Only funeral parlor in the immediate area was supposed 10 dig Hess  was unimpressed by inc great my Crest shown by the Public. It s a grave like any other As far As i m concerned the Lown councilman  me show you something Koerz door for said pointing to a Large Graystone with the engraving for the Vic Tims of  Stone bears the number 30. Jews from Here who died in concentration Camps he  candles bum before inc Well kept grave located nol 300 feel from where Hitler s Deputy was supposed to be buried. Elizabeth Boehringer places a portfolio of Hitler s a Tortolon in inc window of her Bookstore in won Wirfel. Lie town s mayor. Jirl Walter above said family members bad Laid him thai they intended to fulfil the former Hitler Deputy s wish o be burled in the family plot la Wun Siedel a tillage in Northern Havana. Wil Helm Koch Durfer the Man who was to dig he a grave said he was  with All the interest shown in the burial. Is photos by Steve Morrison