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So, I was bringing my copy of Ernst von Salomonīs book to the PC meanwile. The book published by Ernst von Salomon shows not his own lines but a report by Georg Seitz about "Die Eiserne Schar in Harburg". Seitz claimed the crowd was surrounding the school, Bethold was speaking to the people and suddenly a shot was fired, obviously against Berthold. Seitz said: "That was the signal. The crowd was desolving, hastily running and Marxists between the crowd started to fire. Now Berthold ordered to fire with the MG. The fire was said to hit women and children in the crowd reports Seitz. "Now we got furious fire."
Whoever was starting to fire - I bet the other side will report an ambush of the Freikorps - Bertholds later fate was possibly decided when the MG was hitting also women and children. If Ernst von Salomon was opening fire without Bertholds command then he was maybe contributing to his end.
As well another Freikorps-author claimed Berthold had heard about the strength of the Reds in Harburg and noticed that regular troops (stromtroopers) had overwhelmed their officers who tried to support the Kapp-Putsch. Therefore he decided to "clean up" in Harburg before leaving the town. That report contradicts to the "traditional" reports saying that Berthold had the intend to keep peace in Harburg and to avoid casualties of compatriots.
Seitz did not winess the death of Berthold but he was like other captured Freikorps-men also in danger to be slain by the "Einwohnerwehr" (militia) and civilists. Finally the imprisonment by the stormtroopers saved him. After some weeks he was released.
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