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translation by Gerda Johannsen.   zum deutschen Originalbericht
Appendix 5
Expulsion Order of the Military Commandant of Bohemian Leipa,
June 14, 1945


Facsimile (click to enlarge)     
Expulsion order for Bohemian Leipa Translation:

      The inhabitants of German nationality, residing in the municipalities of Bohemian Leipa, Alt-Leipa and Niemes, irrespective of their age or sex, will leave their apartments on June 15th, 1945 at 5 o'clock in the morning and march to the rallying-point at the "Bräuhaus" of Ceske Lipe, via Kreuz- and Bräuhaus-Strasse.
      At Niemes they will gather at the junction, 200 metres to the West of the railway bridge (street leading in the direction of Reichstadt).
      This order does not concern the following persons and their families:
      I. 1. doctors, veterinarians, apothecaries, nursing personnel and the members of the fire-brigade. 2. manufacturers and employees of the public supply undertakings in operation. 3. black smiths, mechanics, employees of repairing shops, tailors and shoemakers, still in business. 4. employees of factories and enterprises in operation. 5. employees of the railway, post and other public communications.
      The persons quoted under 1-5 are to identify themselves by means of a certificate stating their employment or business. Those absenting themselves will be brought back and punished accordingly.
      The transfer does not concern members of the Communist or Socialdemocratic Parties who may prove their membership by means of a membership-card of the Party in question and who should also prove that they have been persecuted, that is, imprisoned or dismissed from their offices by reason of their political opinions and loyal attitude towards Czechoslovakia.
      Each individual to be transferred is permitted to take the following: a) food for 7 days and b) the most necessary articles but only such as he is able to carry himself; c) identity-cards, passports, all ration cards together with the household-"Stammkarte" (basic ration card).
Valuables: Gold, silver and all articles made of these metals (rings, brooches etc.), gold and silver coins, savings-bank deposit-books, insurance-policies, currency with the exception of 100 RM per head and also cameras are to be tied up in small bags or paper-packages with an exact list enclosed of the valuables in question and giving the owner's address. These are to be delivered at the rallying-points.
      All are warned that they will be required to undergo a thorough bodily examination (strip search). The contents of the luggage will also be thoroughly examined. Any concealment of the articles mentioned above whether in clothes, shoes or other places, such as in the hand luggage, will therefore be useless and such conduct will be punished.
      Domestic animals (pets) will be left at home, a list of the animals together with the address and the keys will be delivered at the rallying-points.
      Immovables and furniture, such as industrial machines, agricultural machines and tools will remain where they are. Any intentional damaging of immovables or furniture will be severely punished. The delivery of immovables and furniture to other persons for the purpose of preserving them will likewise be punished. Keys: All doors to houses or rooms as well as to outbuildings, to workshops or factories are to be locked on departure, the keys of the buildings and individual rooms must be tied together and, furnished with the exact address written on thick paper, attached to the keys by means of a string. Before the rooms and buildings are left, each front-door is to be locked and a slip of paper pasted on them in such a way that it connects the two leaves of the door and covers the key-hole. In houses in which some of the lodgers are permitted to remain, only the doors of those dwellings evacuated are to be locked and the slips of paper pasted on the doors. After the keys have been delivered all buildings will immediately be searched by military or gendarmerie personnel. Persons not entitled to stay, who deliberately failed to leave the buildings, must anticipate severe punishment. Sick persons able to use public conveyances will be taken by relatives or members of the household to the rallying-point, whence the Red Cross will provide further transport.

Bohemian Leipa, June 14th, 1945.

The military commander: pplk. Voves e. h.


This order was posted on June 14 at 10 o'clock p.m.,
i.e. after the official curfew for Germans,
so that the German inhabitants of Bohemian Leipa
did not even become aware of it until the morning of June 15th,
immediately before their expulsion.


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Documents on the Expulsion of the Sudeten Germans
Survivors speak out