There were serious collisions during the night. Patrols of the Storm Detachment came upon National Socialists, who had been attacked singly and were in a deplorable condition. Short work was made with the enemy. By the next morning the red terror, under which Coburg had suffered for years, was broken.
On the next day we marched on to the Square, where it was announced that a demonstration of ten thousand “workers” was to be held. Instead of ten thousand, as announced, there were only a few hundred present, who kept silent, on the whole, as we drew near. Here and there bodies of Reds, who had come in from outside and did not yet know us, tried to get up a quarrel ; but they quickly lost any wish to do that. It was becoming obvious that the population, which had for long been miserably intimidated, was now slowly waking up, and gaining courage to greet us with shouts, and when we departed in the eveningspontaneous cheering broke out.
Our experiences at Coburg proved how essential it is to introduce a regular uniform for the Storm Detach¬ ment, not only for the purpose of strengthening esprit de corps, but also to avoid confusion and failure to recognize the men opposing it. Up to that time it had worn merely the armlet, but now the tunic and the well-known cap were added.
We learned also the importance of our going by a regular plan to all places in which the Red terror had for many years prevented those who thought differently from holding any meeting, of breaking down the Red terror and re-establishing freedom of assemblage.
- In March, 1923, an event occurred which forced me to divert the course of the Movement and introduce changes.