840.48 Refugees/4462: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
2436. London’s 5982, September 9, refers to the desire of the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees to save as many as possible of those refugees who are fleeing from persecution and impending death at the hands of military autocracy and who recently proceeded or may proceed from Italy and from territory in France previously occupied by Italian troops and now reported occupied by Germans. Distinction is to be made between this class of refugees and those others who should be prosecuted as war criminals for having persecuted or threatened with persecution those presently attempting to escape their jurisdiction. It is especially recommended that encouragement be given to Swiss Government to give asylum to those refugees presently fleeing from persecution and who may be able to cross the frontier.
The Department suggested to Embassy at London in its 588536 that before proceeding to discuss with various agencies concerned the Director’s proposals for facilitating refugees’ entry into and maintenance in Switzerland that we should obtain beforehand definition of Swiss Government’s attitude toward the proposed reception of the refugees and a statement of the conditions under which it would be willing to receive and maintain them pending further disposition as may be subsequently arranged by Intergovernmental Committee. Toward that end British Government is instructing its Minister at Bern to approach Swiss Government after consultation and agreement with you and:
- 1.
- Inquire number of refugees in Switzerland before the Italian Armistice.
- 2.
- The number of refugees and prisoners, if possible by nationality, admitted after July 25, the date of Mussolini’s fall.
- 3.
- What assurances would the Swiss Government need or expect from British and American Governments in order to enable Switzerland [Page 363] to face increased burden and to continue to accept such refugees as may find their way to the Swiss Border.
The telegram further states that “Foreign Office feels that the two Ministers should point out that the furnishing of any supplies to Switzerland at the moment would be very difficult. It feels also that it would perhaps be a good thing for them to say that since Switzerland is the only country of refuge for persons from either Italy or France our two countries are anxious to do anything possible to encourage Switzerland to continue its humanitarian effort with regard to refugees.”
Department has just received your 6103, September 30. You and the British Minister may desire to consider situation in light of information furnished therein and submit recommendations here and to London for different course of action than that proposed above.