760D.61/1010: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Sterling) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 22—4 p.m.]
35. My 16, January 12, 2 p.m.32 Dahlerus35 called on me Saturday36 upon his return from Berlin. He reported that he had had a long conversation with Kirk,37 also several meetings with Goering.
Dahlerus was unwilling to go into details with regard to the views expressed by the latter in connection with an intercession by Germany with Russia to reach a reasonable basis for peace in the Russo-Finnish conflict. He said nevertheless that Goering was still anxious [Page 280] for a settlement; that he (Goering) did not think the time was yet ripe for any action by Germany but it might be in 2 or 3 weeks’ time. Dahlerus intimated that Goering had in mind further defeats of Russian troops in Finland and secondly the outcome of the Soviet-German trade conversations in Moscow39 which up to now had not been productive of favorable results for Germany.
Dahlerus commented upon the advantages which would accrue to Germany in the event of a liquidation of the Finnish situation: (1) supplies from Russia now being diverted to the Russian forces in Finland; (2) conciliation of Italy and Spain; (3) appreciation of Germany’s action in the United States and other neutral countries; (4) a first step to an understanding with Britain and France.
- Not printed.↩
- Birger Dahlerus, Swedish civil engineer and manufacturer, friend of Goring, used as unofficial intermediary by the Germans in peace attempts with Great Britain in the weeks before the outbreak of war in 1939, and later in the fall. See Department of State, Documents on German Foreign Policy, 1918–1945, series D, Vol. viii, pp. 140–145, 388, and 397–398.↩
- January 20.↩
- Alexander C. Kirk, Counselor of Embassy in Germany, frequently Chargé d’Affaires.↩
- For correspondence on wartime cooperation between Germany and the Soviet Union, see pp. 539 ff.↩