File No. 701.6211/390
The German Ambassador (Bernstorff) to the Secretary of State 1
[Received July 1.]
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Referring to my letter of June 19,2 I have received a communication from my Government that the incident of the invasion on the night of October 7, 1914, of the premises which were formerly the British Consulate in Berlin differs from the Igel incident in the following essential points:
The German Foreign Office recognized that the invading by the police of these premises which had been put at the disposal of the American Embassy was wrong, and an apology therefor was offered to the American Ambassador on October 8, 1914.
The persons arrested were not members of the staff of the American Embassy, but British subjects, therefore alien enemies in belligerent country who by their acts were regarded as under suspicion of espionage.
A part of the papers was returned to the American Embassy by note verbale of October 31, 1914, and the documents relating to the British relief fund were returned early in January 1915. The statement [Page 822] that the papers still remain in the possession of the Imperial Government is therefore erroneous.
I remain [etc.]