File No. 763.72111K92/88
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Germany (Gerard)
2792. Your 3508, February 19, 2 p. m. Department referred to Navy Department the Imperial Foreign Office’s reply concerning the [Page 716] escape of officers and men of German auxiliary cruisers at present interned in American ports. In reply Navy Department takes the position that the Prinz Eitel Friedrich and the Kronprinz Wilhelm sought refuge in a port of the United States and agreed to be interned. The obligation of remaining with their ships rested, therefore, wholly with the officers of those ships. It can not be assumed that these officers are not cognizant of the principles of international law. The captains of the two ships gave their promises in writing for themselves, the officers, and the crew of the ships, that they would in no way violate the neutrality of the United States during their internment.
The answer of the German naval administration seems to indicate that it does not fully appreciate the seriousness of the obligation thus assumed by their naval representatives on these two vessels to remain within the limits assigned with the least amount of trouble to the Government of the country in which they are interned. They were not considered as prisoners of war but as guests of this Government, and as such were given permission to leave the navy yard and to go to any part of the United States on leave. Doctor Krüger-Kroneck and Leutnant zur See Koch availed themselves of this permission to leave the limits of their internment and failed to return, as they were undoubtedly bound to do. In addition Doctor Kroneck supplied money with which six officers of the Kronprinz Wilhelm purchased the yacht Eclipse and escaped from the jurisdiction of this Government. Should Doctor Kroneck be returned, this Government should not consent to his removal under the application of the rules of the Geneva convention to naval officers, as his presence on board is necessary on account of considerable sickness on the interned ships.
In reply of the Imperial Foreign Office no mention is made of the executive officer of the Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Otto Brauer, who left that vessel after the captain of the ship had been requested by this Government not to permit his officers or men to go ashore, which request the captain acknowledged and stated that he would act accordingly. The Navy Department can not conceive of the executive officer, the next in command, being in ignorance of this request of the United States Government. The departure of the executive officer, Otto Brauer, was taken against the express direction of this Government and it is the opinion of the Navy Department that this officer should be returned to the jurisdiction of this Government.
Also no reply is made to the case of Herman Dieke, engineer officer of the Locksun, interned at Honolulu, who absented himself while on parole. Full reply of the Navy Department is being sent to you by mail. You will present the views of this Government and say that the Department would be glad to have an early reply.