740.00115 European War 1939/7874
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 and French interests presents his compliments to the Honorable the Secretary of State and has the honor to refer to the Secretary’s note of September 25 and to preceding correspondence concerning the proposed exchange of certain nationals between the United States and Germany.
[Page 113]The Chargé d’Affaires ad Interim now begs to draw attention to a new note from the German Government, transmitted by cable, which reads in translation as follows:
“Primo: The German Government agrees to the repatriation proposed by the United States Government of the members of the American groups interned in Baden-Baden and Bad Gödesberg, in exchange for
- a)
- the members of the former German Consulate General in Algiers,
- b)
- the 687 German nationals individually named by the United States Government who were brought to the United States from other American republics before July 1942.
- c)
- the members of the French group interned in Hershey who are willing to return,
along the following lines:
First: The German Government is prepared to include the Brazilian diplomatic groups in the German-United States diplomatic exchange, provided that the possibility of safe repatriation to a neutral European port is accorded to all the German nationals in Brazil willing to return, whose repatriation was already agreed upon by the Brazilian Government and whose safe-conduct only was not yet on hand.
If for certain reasons, such as saving of time, the United States Government prefers, however, the German Government is also prepared to pursue the negotiations with the Brazilian Government which were discontinued at the recommendation of the United States Government, concerning a mutual exchange of nationals, and to carry out the German-Brazilian exchange apart from the German-United States diplomatic exchange.
Second: In accordance with the request of the United States Government, the following persons who are not in Baden-Baden shall also, so far as possible, be allowed to participate in the exchange:
- a)
- Bentley T. Mott
- b)
- Jeanette Marie Barlerin
- c)
- Carmel Joseph Doublet
- d)
- William Frank Doublet
- e)
- Mohy Eddine Jeneid
- f)
- Francis Vicovari
Whereas the inclusion in the exchange of the United States national named under f), Francis Vicovari, can be assured already at this time, a corresponding assurance by the German Government with respect to the participation in the exchange of the persons listed under a) and b) is not yet possible because the inquiries concerning them have not been concluded.
As outlined in the memorandum from the Foreign Office to the Legation of Switzerland in Berlin (this communication was transmitted to the American Legation in Bern with note of August 18, 1943), the inclusion in the exchange of the former [Page 114] members of the United States Consulate in Tunis listed under c) to e), the British nationals
- Carmel Joseph Doublet
- William Frank Doublet and
- Mohy Eddine Jeneid,
must be made subject to the possibility for repatriation being offered likewise to the following German nationals in the United States, who are official, respectively semi-official, persons:
- a)
- Mrs. Lina Graff
153 Franklin Street
Torrington, Connecticut
Former employee of the Library of Information and wife of an employee of the Foreign Office - b)
- Dr. Ernst Kohlschuetter
Stringtown Internment Camp
Stringtown, Oklahoma
(According to the Legation’s records, he is now at the Alien Detention Camp, Kenedy, Texas)
Stipendiary of the German Research Society (Stipendiat der deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft) who last served at the Institute of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Columbia University, San Juan, Porto Rico - c)
- Professor Adolf Kappus
Crystal City Internment Camp
Crystal City, Texas
Served at the Department of Biology, Fordham University, New York, delegated by the German Research Society
Third: The German Government desires that the former German Honorary Consul in Bari, Friedrich Thiesson and his wife, who were recently brought to Staunton, Virginia, for internment with the German group at the Hotel Ingleside, be included in the exchange.
Fourth: The number of non-official German nationals to be repatriated under the provisions of the exchange may not be lower than the 687 indicated by the United States Government. If this number should be decreased for any reason, particularly, however, because German nationals proposed for the exchange may suddenly not wish to be repatriated any longer, the exchange group is to be completed correspondingly with other German nationals held in the United States.
Fifth: Since there are older persons among the groups detained in the United States, particularly from Costa Rica and Guatemala, the members of whose families have already been repatriated to Germany, it is expected that these additional persons be offered the possibility, for humane reasons, to return under the provisions of the exchange, thereby reuniting them with the members of their families.
Sixth: The French Government desires that, besides the members of the French diplomatic group interned in Hershey already [Page 115] named by the United States Government, French Vice Consul Priaulet, who has been in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington since 1942, be included in the exchange, provided that the state of his health permits his repatriation.
Secundo: In accordance with the consent previously given, the German Government agrees to the departure, together with the United States diplomatic group, of the Panamanian nationals who are in the areas under German control and who are willing to return.
Tertio: In the event that the United States Government concurs with the above-mentioned German wishes, the German Government, likewise, would welcome the immediate carrying out of the exchange.”