Down Go the Murder Fences

One of the toughest borders to cross in all Europe is the 125-mile line between free Austria and Communist Hungary. In 1948 Hungarian Communists erected along the entire frontier a literal Iron Curtain of barbed wire in two parallel belts, each about 12 ft. high and 9 ft. deep. Between the belts they planted mines. At regular intervals they set up 30-ft. watchtowers manned by frontier police with machine guns and floodlights. Special guards with watchdogs constantly patrol the Hungarian side of the border.

This has not prevented Hungarians who hate the rule of Communist Boss Rakosi from attempting to cross into Austria. Some have tried to detonate the delicate personnel mines by driving cats in front of them. Others have laid wooden planks on the wire. Austrian authorities estimate that some 6,000 have got across safely. Of late only one in three attempts is successful, and at least 500 have been killed by mines and border guards. In the cemetery in the little border village of Deutschkreutz are buried 100 who did not make it to freedom.

Austria has made numerous protests, without effect, about what Austrians call the "murder fences." But last week Austria was astonished to receive a note from the Hungarian Foreign Office saying that within three months the entire frontier would be cleared of "border obstacles." While Austrians were speculating whether Rakosi or the Russians were responsible, squads of Hungarian soldiers began dismantling the barbed wire. A new thought occurred to the Austrians: if the Iron Curtain is really raised, how will Rakosi keep his Hungarians at home? Said Austrian Interior Minister Oskar Helmer: "Soon we will have all of Hungary in Austria."

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