Paris Peace Conf. 181.9202/177: Telegram
General Bandholtz to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received October 6—6:37 p.m.]
126. At a meeting of the Military Mission on October 1st it was decided that the Roumanians should not be allowed to remove from the National Museum in Budapest articles they claimed belonged to them as coming from Transylvania until such articles had been passed upon by a committee already appointed by the Mission and the Roumanian commander was notified accordingly. Last night about 9:30 I received word that the Roumanians were at the museum for the purpose of seizing such property. I hastened over accompanied by Colonel Loree and one American soldier and found the grounds and storerooms under strong Roumanian guard which we successfully passed. The Roumanian General Serbescu had been there with 14 trucks and a large detachment to remove the property, but the director of the museum refused to give up the key. General Serbescu said he had an order from General Mardarescu and High Commissioner Diamandi to seize such property and that he would return in the morning and force an entrance if necessary. He had then departed leaving the guard. I personally took over the key leaving a letter addressed to whom it may concern saying that the objects in the museum were under the charge of the Interallied Military Mission and that as President of the Day I had taken possession of the key. I then sealed the doors in the name of the Mission authenticating same by an American censorship stamp. At the session of the Mission this date my action was approved. Subsequently thereto a letter was received from Roumanian headquarters signed by both General Mardarescu and Minister Diamandi stating in effect that despite the decision of the Mission of October 1st they would assume responsibility for removing the objects from the museum. In the meantime the seals are on the doors and we wait developments.