Paris Peace Conf. 181.9202/53: Telegram
General Bandholtz to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received August 30—6 p.m.]
31. Unsolicited reports of Roumanian seizures received this date contain the following: August 16th, Roumanians seized 106 additional passenger coaches. August 17th Roumanians seized 24 locomotives and 74 passenger, baggage and post cars. August 17th and 18th Roumanians forced the doors of the War Ministry, a great [removed] many articles such as theodolites, telescopes, cameras, typewriters, telephones and maps. On August 18th Roumanians seized from the estate of Ligetpuszta, county of Pest, cattle to the value of 700,000 kronen leaving 20,000 kronen in payment. On August 18th Roumanians seized from the Austrian firm Erste Osterreichische, Jute Spinnereinen und Webereinen 140,000 new flour bags all property of Austrian Government. August 18th Roumanians took from the factory of the Siemans-Schuckert [Page 659] Works Company 375 coils of insulated and other wire. August 19th machinery of the Hungarian ammunition factory valued at 10 million kronen was dismounted and removed. August 22nd the Roumanians were dismounting and removing the machinery of the Hungarian munitions factory. August 23rd the Roumanians removed from the Hungarian General Engineering Works 8 cars of aeroplanes, 6 carloads of material and half-finished goods, and also removed hydroplanes from station at Csepel despite the protest of the Commander of the Danube that such planes were for the use of the Allied forces. August 23rd the Roumanians removed from the state stud farm at Szekesf ehervar 120 stallions. All of the breeding horses at Kisber have been loaded. All the stud animals at Babolna have been seized. August 23rd the Roumanians removed from the stores of the Ministry of Posts 1 million crowns’ worth of machinery, tools and uniforms. August 23rd the Roumanians removed without authority and without giving any receipt from the Ericcson-Hungarian Electric Company over 220,000 crowns’ worth of electrical apparatus and material. August 24th the Roumanians removed from the estates of Count Julius Andrassy 1,500 hectolitres of wines and a great number of horses, oxen, sheep and farm implements.
This afternoon accompanied by General Gorton, the British representative, I visited several places in the city of Budapest and found the following: at warehouses of the Hungarian Discount and Exchange Bank I found that up to date the Roumanians had already seized there.2,448 carloads of miscellaneous molds [goods] and were carting part away each day. At the central depot of the Hungarian Posts and Telegraphs we found 7 cars already loaded, 2 with shoes and the rest with rugs, and 2 cars of uniforms had just been removed from the yard. They were also busy at the time preparing to remove machinery from the repair shop. At this place a Roumanian named V. Forrescj was in the charge of the work of removing the machinery. At the works of the Ganz-Danubius Company we found the Roumanians busily engaged loading 5 freight cars with material. At this place the Roumanian Lieutenant Vaude Stanescu was in charge of the work of removal. At Hungarian Military Hospital Number 1 we found the Roumanians had given orders that same be evacuated inside of 2 days by all patients. The Hungarians had removed all except 57 seriously wounded cases, which it was dangerous to remove. At the Hungarian central sanitary depot we found that the Roumanians had removed 132 carloads of material and saw them busily engaged in stripping the rest of the buildings. The Hungarian officer who had been sent there to take inventory of the goods removed had been ejected from the grounds. The Roumanian Major C. Georgescu was here in charge of the work of removal. In all cases where it is said [Page 660] Roumanians were removing it is meant the Hungarian prisoners were doing the work under Roumanian guards and supervision. If the Roumanians continue at the present rate they will soon leave Hungary as a charge upon the Allies instead of in a condition to pay any indemnity. General Gorton concurs in the foregoing and requests that a copy be furnished the British Mission.