German Says No Criminals Hidden

West German Ambassador Wilhelm G. Grewe denied charges that his country has made any effort to conceal the atrocities committed in Nazi Germany in a speech at the Ford Hall Forum last night.

Commenting on questions posed in a letter to a New York newspaper, Grewe insisted that Germany has made every effort to uncover information on war criminals and to publicize their crimes. He further noted that though there are some in Germany "who try to forget the past, there are many more who prevent them from doing so."

Grewe cited the Adolph Eichmann case as one which illustrates the attempts of West Germany to make retribution for the crimes of Nazi officials. He said that "competent German authorities did as much as they could to find Eichmann."

The fact that Germany has abolished capital punishment whereas Israel has not, Grewe said, is one justification for the accused executioner of some six million Jews to be tried by Isreali courts.

The ambassador also denied reports that there are any significant neo-Nazi or anti-Semitic movements now in Germany. The recent "Swastika epedemic," he said, had little political motivation.