Office of the Historian

740.00112 European War 1939/224: Telegram

The Naval Attaché in Germany (Schroder) to the Navy Department

Berlin, October 4, 1939—3 p.m.
[Received 4:35 p.m.]

0004. Following is a paraphrase of note handed me personally by Grand Admiral Raeder41 for which I signed receipt:

American S. S. Iroquois sailed from Irish port with United States passengers 2 October will be sunk off the East coast of the United States under Athenia circumstances for apparent purpose of arousing anti-German feeling. Reply my specific question Raeder stated that his source of information in neutral Ireland very reliable. Chief of Staff suggested that if safe arrival closely inspect ship for explosives. If this information is true I believe it warrants risking the possibility of this code being compromised.

[
Schrader
]
  1. Chief of the German Navy.↩