701.60F11/272

The Chief of the Division of European Affairs ( Moffat ) to the Under Secretary of State ( Welles )

Mr. Welles: The Czechoslovak Minister has just telephoned that upon returning to his Legation from the Department of State he received a call from Herr Resenberg.79 The latter read him an excerpt of a telegram directing Dr. Thomsen80 to get in touch at once with Dr. Hurban, explain to him the developments that had taken place, and take over the Czechoslovak Legation.

The Czechoslovak Minister replied that he did not take orders from Berlin, and that the only condition under which he would turn over the Legation was upon receipt of written orders from President Hacha.

Dr. Resenberg endeavored to read a number of messages, telegrams and clippings, which he said would explain the situation, but Dr. Hurban replied that he was not interested in messages from Berlin, and could only consider messages from Praha as being applicable to him.

Later the Minister called up and asked if I saw objection to his telling this to the press. I replied that as the U. P. already carried a story that Dr. Thomsen was on his way to ask him to give up the Legation I saw no harm.

Pierrepont Moffat
  1. Karl Resenberg, First Secretary of the German Embassy in Washington.
  2. Hans Thomsen, Chargé of the German Embassy in Washington.