Paris Peace Conf. 181.9202/43: Telegram
General Bandholtz to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received August 25—1:20 a.m.]
26. The following instances of Roumanian requisitions and seizures are given for your information. August 17th all of the typewriters of the Underwood Agency, about 20, were seized. August 18th 30 carloads of wool, the property of the Hungarian Wool Trust were shipped [out] of Budapest. August 18th the Hungarian Minister of Hygiene reported the seizure of all their supplies by Roumanian officials. August 21st there was seized 63 carloads of coal which belonged to the Municipal Water Plant of Budapest. August 21st there was seized 110 race horses at the Alge Farm. These were the property of private individuals. August 22nd all of the machinery of the Hungarian state shops was dismounted resulting in 6,000 men being out of work. August 22nd a demand was made on the Minister of Agriculture for topographical charts, instruments, etc., stating that if they were not delivered same would be taken by force of arms. August 22nd the Minister of Foreign Affairs reported that the Roumanians had requisitioned all of the valuable breeding animals on the three Hungarian state stud farms. On August 23rd 50 percent of all the material of the Ganz-Danubius Company, Limited, a large building concern, was taken, throwing out of employment over 4,300 persons. August 22nd there was being loaded the remaining half of the supplies of the Ministry of Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones, the other half having been previously taken about August 10th. On August 22nd mechanics were being sent around to remove 4,000 telephones from private houses.
All of the foregoing occurred subsequent to the promise of the Roumanians that they would comply with instructions of the Interallied Mission. Many delicate instruments were thrown into boxes and other receptacles in such a careless manner that they could never be of use to anybody. Many other similar instances occurred during the period indicated. As near as can be now estimated the Roumanians have seized about 60 percent of all Hungarian locomotives in good condition, 95 percent of all passenger equipment and about 5,000 freight cars.