Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

125.0040/826: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

Bern, June 17, 1942.
[Received June 17—12:47 p.m.]

2763. Exchange negotiations. Department’s 1437, June 3⁹⁸ and previous regarding steamship Drottningholm. Following is translation of note from German Foreign Office dated June 16 to Swiss Legation, Berlin, which latter telephoned Swiss Foreign Office.

“German Foreign Office has the honor in reference to its notes verbales of April 18 and June 6, 1942 regarding voyages of Swedish motor ships Drottningholm and Gripsholm to call attention of Swiss Legation to German declaration of June 14⁹⁹ concerning the extension of zone of operations to American coast.

German Foreign Office informed Swiss Legation under paragraph of its note verbale of March 21 that German Armed Forces were instructed to allow to pass freely ships designated for exchange agreed upon. As a condition for this assurance it was stated under paragraph 6d that ships must not touch zone of operations around British Isles and Ireland [Iceland?] designated by German Government. This assurance is now changed so that Drottningholm and Gripsholm must not touch extended zone of operations.

German Foreign Office therefore requests Swiss Legation to take necessary steps in order that two ships arrange their voyages so that after June 26, 1942 they do not touch extended zone of operations and that after carrying out their journeys they have opportunity to start return journey to Sweden from a port of United States that lies outside extended zone of operations. For this return journey German Government will make necessary arrangements with Swedish Government.”

Copy forwarded Lisbon.

Harrison

98. Not printed; it requested that the AMs Governments be notified that the exchange vessel Drottningholm sailed from New York at 6:40 p.m., June 3 (701.0010/333b).
99. A statement broadcast from Berlin June 13 described a submarine zone of operations extending to the American coast and warned that “every ship which enters this zone after June 26, 1942 will expose itself to destruction.”