862.01/299: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 23—3:38 p.m.]
922. Second half, our 923.34 Pravda July 21 devoted its entire third page to publication of manifesto of National Committee Free Germany to German Army and German people. It is announced that manifesto appeared in first number of magazine Freies Deutschland published by (Free Germany) Committee. Facsimiles of pages this publication date[d] July 19th and of 33 signatures to manifesto published.
Introduction states manifesto was drafted by convention in Moscow on July 12 and 13 consisting of representative Germans of all social groups, religious, political convictions, including delegates from AT German prisoners’ camps in Soviet Union. Group included former members of Reichstag. This convention decided to form (Free Germany) Committee and elected as President poet Erich Weinert; First Vice President Major Karl Hetz;37 Second Vice President Lieut. Heinrich Graf von Einsiedel.38 Text of manifesto amounts to summons to rebellion against Hitler addressed to German Army and home front.
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- The part omitted is an outline summary of the manifesto of the Free Germany Committee, founded in Moscow on July 12, 1943, and disbanded on November 5, 1945. English translations of the manifesto are available in the Moscow News, July 23, the London Times, July 23, p. 3, and the New York Times, August 1, p. 17.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Headquarters Staff, 371st Infantry Division, German Army; an engineer from Konigsberg.↩
- In 3d Squadron, 3d Fighter Group; from Berlin.↩