732.62/11: Telegram

The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State

66. Aranha21 told me this morning that the Government has received numerous communications from German-Brazilians, as well as Germans, in this country protesting against the attitude and activities of the German Government. They fear that the resentment being aroused among the Brazilian population may eventually “lead [Page 412] to physical attacks on German villages and homes”; they point out that most of the German population here lived on cordial and amicable terms with the Government and people of Brazil, and that the present situation has been brought on entirely by the aggressive tactics of the Hitler authorities.

Aranha says that the German Ambassador here has altogether changed his tactics and has adopted a most conciliatory attitude. He has been twice recently to see the Minister of Justice and told him that his Government does not want any extraordinary privileges but only hopes the German nationals here will be allowed to carry on their “purely cultural activities”.

Caffery
  1. Oswaldo Aranha became Minister for Foreign Affairs on March 15.