740.00115 European War (1939)/6923
The Swiss Chargé (Feer) to the Secretary of State
Ref. No. VIII–F–1
The Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Switzerland in charge of German, Italian and French interests presents his compliments to the Honorable the Secretary of State and has the honor to refer to his note of April 3, transmitting the observations of the American Government on the proposed exchange of the officials and assimilated categories of nationals of the United States who were removed from French to German territory against persons of equal status, together with their families, now in the hands of the United States.
Attention is now drawn to a cable just received expressing the attitude of the German Government to the note under reference, which reads in translation as follows: [Page 97]
“Primo: The German Government is not prepared to agree to the exclusion from repatriation of the German nationals listed in the German repatriation proposals under the Colombia group:
- Rudolf Bethke
- Hellmuth Schmidt
- Gustav Dobe, Sr.
- Wilhelm Lange
- Joachim Marggraff
Although in List A the members of the families of the two first named German nationals are mentioned, they themselves, i. e. Rudolf Bethke and Hellmuth Schmidt, are not listed. The German Government insists on repatriation of the complete Colombia group, particularly in view of the fact that a status of a diplomatic character has been granted to this group.
“Secundo: List B submitted by the United States Government is incomplete. Among the Germans from San Domingo mentioned therein for exchange is listed Oskar Bechstaedt, although he has died. On the other hand, there are missing on List B 20 Germans from Colombia, 18 from San Domingo, 8 from Ecuador, 1 (Niklaus) from Mexico, 83 from Nicaragua and 39 from Peru, who are being held in United States camps. In addition, there are interned in the United States 14 German nationals from Bolivia, 270 from Costa Rica, 158 from Guatemala, 10 from Haiti, 37 from Honduras, 100 from Panama and 27 from San Salvador, who must also be included in List B. Inasmuch as available information indicates that almost all of them desire to return to Germany, the German Government expresses its definite expectation that the United States Government will complete List B accordingly and consent to include in the exchange all Germans who are willing to return.
“Tertio: The German Government assumes that the Italian Government will approach the Protecting Power with special proposals regarding repatriation of its nationals in America, including those given in List C.
“Quarto: It is noted from the United States repatriation proposals that the Government of the United States of America wishes to include in the German-American exchange the South and Central American diplomats from France who are on German territory. The German Government, in principle, is prepared to extend the exchange also to the diplomatic and consular members of the former representations in France from Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, San Salvador and San Domingo, who were brought to Germany. It is pointed out, however, that negotiations regarding the repatriation of German nationals from those countries, which would have to be concluded within the total exchange proposed by the United States Government, are pending between the Protecting Power of the German Reich and most of the governments concerned. There is involved a number of German nationals who are curtailed in their freedom in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and San Salvador. As soon as these German nationals are also included in the total exchange (Gesamtaustausch), the former diplomatic and consular representatives of the countries named can be added to the United States exchange group. With this provision, the German Government is prepared to agree to the total exchange suggested by the United States Government. In view of the large number of governments involved [Page 98] and of persons to be repatriated, it may be necessary, however, to create, under the provisions of the exchange, several exchange groups which are independent of one another, because conclusion of the total exchange in one action would meet with insurmountable technical difficulties. Therefore, the German Government proposes the following procedure: First—that the groups who are now in the United States, consisting of
- a)
- the members of the former German Consulate General in Algiers, including their families and domestics,
- b)
- the persons given in Lists A and B which are still to be completed,
- c)
- the French diplomatic and consular representatives
be exchanged against the United States diplomatic group held in Baden-Baden. The German Government will see to it that the United States diplomats who are in Baden-Baden will arrive in Lisbon at the same time as the persons given under A to C. It should be endeavored that the groups of persons to be repatriated from the United States arrive, in their entirety, at the same time in Lisbon, in order that delays of parts of the United States diplomatic group in Baden-Baden can be avoided so far as possible. Should the United States Government transport to Portugal only parts of the groups from the categories of persons to be brought to Lisbon, the German Government would, of course, also transport only corresponding parts of groups of the United States diplomatic exchange group to Lisbon. Both groups may continue their journeys as soon as the German and the United States Governments have given their consent thereto to the Portuguese Government. The German Government holds the view that the exchange of the named groups of persons of both sides is an internal matter between the German and the United States Governments and that, therefore, the exchange is not to be made dependent upon declarations of other governments. Second—that the German nationals who are held in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and San Salvador be exchanged against the diplomatic and consular representatives of those countries who are in Germany. The individual diplomatic groups of these South and Central American countries who are held in Germany will be transported to Lisbon always in time as to arrive in Lisbon at the same time as the German nationals to be repatriated from those countries. The corresponding exchange groups, upon arrival in Lisbon, may continue their journeys as soon as the German and the United States Governments, as well as the government of the country whence the particular German exchange group came, have given their consent thereto to the Portuguese Government.
“Quinto: The conclusion of the exchange contemplated with Chile and Brazil with respect to official, semi-official and private persons has been delayed due to the new conditions which the United States and the British Governments have made with respect to the granting of safe conduct for the German nationals to be repatriated, as well as the examination of baggage and the docking of steamers with German exchange groups in British ports. These conditions, which were not brought up at the time of previous exchanges, have not only created considerable difficulties in the negotiations with respect to the German-Chilean [Page 99] and the German-Brazilian exchange, but they have even made impossible the repatriation of entire groups of persons and the members of their families. If, as it appears from the last sentence of its observations, the United States Government is striving for an early conclusion of the exchange negotiations pending with the countries mentioned, it is likely that the necessary could be brought about through its intermediary.
“Sexto: The German Government desires that the United States Government permit, without any reservations, the personnel of the former German Consulate General in Algiers to take along its entire possessions in the United States of America, with the exception of furniture. The same authorization will be given to the members of the United States diplomatic group from the Vichy Zone in Baden-Baden.
The German Government further expects that the entire possessions left behind in French North Africa by the personnel of the former German Consulate General in Algiers and Casablanca, with the exception of furniture, will be transported to Lisbon without any reservations by the United States Government, in accord with the local Protecting Power, and that these belongings arrive there, at the latest, with the German exchange group.”
It is further stated that the German Government wishes to particularly emphasize the conditions mentioned under Quinto regarding examination of baggage, especially so far as the German-Chilean exchange is concerned. Intervention on the part of the American Government, particularly with the British Government, is said to be desired in this matter, as the German Government is adhering to the basic condition that no baggage or passenger control be conducted during the total exchange.