811.20261/28: Telegram
The Chargé in Denmark ( Grant-Smith ) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 9:03 p.m.]
3726. I received yesterday from the American division of the Norwegian Consulate at Moscow copies of correspondence with the Soviet Government on the most important current matters including the case of the American citizen Kalamatiano. By request these papers are being forwarded to Poole at Archangel but copies will be sent to the Department by pouch. It appears that Kalamatiano, who was head of the Consulate General’s intelligence service and arrested on a charge of military espionage, was still in prison and presumably alive on February 10th. His case was brought up before the Supreme Revolutionary Tribunal of the All-Russian Executive Committee on November 25th. He was permitted two lawyers to defend his case but the latter were given only three days for preparation notwithstanding protests of Holmbo, the Norwegian consul. Kalamatiano was condemned to death but the execution was postponed by order of the Central Executive Committee. On December [Page 178] 4th the Soviets proposed to expel him in exchange for the liberation of Debs and Maklin [MacLean] and this proposal was followed on December 28th by another to exchange him, together with the British military mission seized in Vladikavkaz, for a number of Russian citizens in territories occupied by the Allies. After great difficulties Holmbo was permitted to visit Kalamatiano on December 26th, having applied for permission on December 5th. Holmbo states that while Kalamatiano is well supplied with food and is receiving good treatment, he is confined in a cell in the Kremlin specially intended for prisoners shortly to be executed. Knowledge of efforts to save him does not reach him and he is, therefore, always under the apprehension that he may be executed at any time. His mental state is desperate and he is in great danger of going mad.
A report on the other matters will be forwarded to the Department by the next pouch. Repeated to Christiania.