840.48 Refugees/5557a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
1181. Kullmann’s report has been received by the Department from London concerning his conferences with the Swiss authorities, Intercross, the Polish Minister, representatives of voluntary agencies and you with respect to the attitude of Switzerland toward those who helped Poles, including Jewish refugees in internment camps in France, to secure passports issued by the consulates of American Republics and the attitude toward persons in occupied areas holding such documents on the part of the German authorities. The American Republics are being approached by this Government and they are being urged at least until after the war to take no action on humanitarian grounds to cancel or revoke such passports or to indicate in any way that they are or may be cancelled or revoked or considered invalid or ineffective. The Government of Paraguay, as you presumably know, has already advised the Intergovernmental Committee and this Government that it has not revoked and is not considering revoking such passports made available through its consulates.
The hope persists that Poles, including Jewish refugees having such passports in their possession, will be accorded more favorable treatment than those refugees who are without such passports. Any action should be avoided in the view of this Government which might result in the deportation of these refugees, danger to their lives or to the worsening of their condition. It follows also that all appropriate [Page 1024] action aimed at protecting the welfare and the lives of these refugees should be undertaken.
You are requested accordingly to advise the Swiss Government of the views of this Government in this matter. Appropriate officials of the Swiss Government should be requested to approach the Germans with a view to inducing them to continue the recognition of the validity of passports of the American Republics in the hands of refugees in internment camps in France and in Germany unless and until the government which has issued the passport affirmatively acts to deny its validity, revoke or cancel it. Kullmann and others report, it is noted, that the Swiss Government has acted against the relatives and others in Switzerland who participated in obtaining these documents and that the Swiss Government has also initiated inquiries concerning the authority of some of the officials who have made the passports available. The Swiss Government should be advised that it is the view of this Government that the validity of the aforementioned passports is not in issue at this time and should not be questioned by the officials of the Swiss Government when positive renunciation of the documents by the American Republics is lacking. Seemingly, in any event, such inquiry and action based on it might be postponed until after the war on humanitarian grounds if no other and the Swiss Government should be so informed.
You are advised that Kullmann has reported that the Swiss Government is convinced that any approach to the Germans would do more harm than good and prove completely ineffective. With that point of view this Government finds it impossible to agree. The War Refugee Board and the Department are strongly of the view and have reason to believe that it is most important and can only be helpful to refugees subject to enemy persecution that German officials be continuously advised that the treatment of Jews and others in occupied areas is being closely followed in all of its aspects.
Kindly report to the Department any and all developments with respect to this matter.