Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, General, Volume I

740.00115 European War 1939/6449

The Secretary of State to the Swiss Minister ( Bruggmann )²⁰

The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Honorable the Minister of Switzerland in charge of German and Italian interests and has the honor to acknowledge receipt of the Legation’s note of February 23, 1943 transmitting a translation of a note from the German Government regarding the possibility of repatriation of the officials and assimilated categories of nationals of the United States who were removed by the German Government from French to German territory.

The following observations are made on the proposal made by the German Government:

1. The German communication contemplates parallel communications through other channels regarding the Italian nationals mentioned fourth in the second part of the German proposal and the French nationals mentioned fifth in the same paragraph. The United States Government, which has received the former but not the latter of such parallel communications, deems it advisable to deal fully with the subject in the present communication.

2. The United States Government is agreeable to the repatriation of the members of the former German Consulate General at Algiers together with their families and domestics. There is excluded, however, Sergeant Herbert Pappert who has requested of his own accord that he be considered as one of the military members of the Armistice Commission.

3. The United States Government is agreeable to the repatriation of those members of the special group of thirteen German nationals from Colombia who are named in the attached list A.²¹

4. The United States Government is agreeable to the repatriation at this time of the other German nationals from the other American Republics who are named in the attached list B.²¹

5. The United States Government is agreeable to the repatriation at this time of the Italian nationals from the other American Republics who are named in the attached list C.²¹

6. The United States Government was in November 1942 and remains willing to repatriate without delay those officials of the French Government who desire to return to France. These persons may be repatriated as soon as satisfactory assurance is received that the corresponding United States officials will be repatriated.

7. The United States Government is willing that the exchange of the groups being repatriated shall take place at Lisbon under the same conditions as the exchange effected in 1942.²² The United States Government expects that the departure of any group being repatriated from the United States will be attended simultaneously with the departure from territory under the control of the German Government of at least a corresponding proportion of the United States group at Baden Baden. The United States Government is agreeable that no member of any of the exchange groups shall be released from Portuguese territory until all participating governments in Europe and in the Americas have expressed to the Portuguese Government their satisfaction with the accomplishment of the exchange. The United States Government is willing at the appropriate moment to request the Portuguese Government to accept the guarantee for the exchange and will recommend to the other American Republics that they make a similar request.

8. The United States Government will arrange the transportation to Lisbon and return on one vessel if possible of the persons agreed upon for inclusion in the exchange. Particulars regarding the vessel in question will be communicated at a later date and safe conduct of all the belligerents will be required. The United States Government is agreeable to having the vessel or vessels marked in the supplemental fashion described in the German communication in order to facilitate ready identification by fleet units.

9. In view of the transfer to the United States of the personnel of the German Consulate General at Algiers, there exists no problem of the transfer to Lisbon from Great Britain of any persons to be included in the proposed exchange.

10. The United States Government is willing in principle and on the condition of reciprocity (a) to permit the personnel of the former German Consulate General at Algiers to take with them all their possessions brought to the United States and furthermore, to the extent that may be possible and that conditions may permit (b) to transfer to Spanish or Portuguese territory during the period of the exchange the effects other than furniture of the personnel of the former German Consulates General at Algiers and Casablanca. It should be noted, however, (1) that the United States Government has information indicating that some of the property in question may have been destroyed as a consequence of military operations in which German forces have participated and (2) that no responsibility can be accepted by the United States Government for disposition of such property made when it is not under the control of the United States authorities.

11. There must be considered as parties to the proposed exchange in addition to the governments mentioned in the German communication, (1) all the governments of the American Republics whose officials have been taken by the German Government from French to German territory and are being held hostage there and (2) the government of any other of the American Republics which sent to the United States persons named in the attached lists A, B, and C. It is expected that all such officials will be included by the German Government in the exchange.

12. The German Government is notified that despite the complete willingness of the United States Government to repatriate the persons named in lists A, B, and C attached, such repatriation can be effected only if it is concurred in for each group by the government which originally sent that group to the United States. It is furthermore the intention of the United States Government not to proceed to the exchange of any of the persons referred to in the communication from the German Government until word is received that satisfactory arrangements have been made for the exchange of the Brazilian and Chilean officials concerning whom separate negotiations are understood to be in progress.

Washington , April 3, 1943.

20. The Department informed the Legation in Switzerland by telegram No. 842, April 6, 7 p.m., that this note had been delivered, and instructed that Tuck be informed concerning it (740.00115A European War 1939/690a).
21. Not printed.
21. Not printed.
21. Not printed.
22. The U.S. proposals for the exchange of diplomatic, consular, and other official personnel were transmitted to the Chargé in Switzerland in the Department’s telegram No. 338, December 19, 1941, for communication to the German and Italian Governments by the Swiss Government, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, p. 289.