740.00115 European War/11–1444

The Chargé to the Czechoslovak Government in Exile ( Schoenfeld ) to the Secretary of State

No. 209

Sir: Referring to the Department’s telegram No. 8905 of October 25, 10 p.m.91 regarding certain precautionary measures which the Department in conjunction with the Swiss Government has taken to protect the lives of American citizens in certain disturbed areas, I have the honor to report that in a note of November 10th the Czechoslovak Minister of Foreign Affairs suggests, for the benefit of American citizens who may be on the territory of the Czechoslovak Republic, that lists of names of such citizens be forwarded additionally by the Department to the Czechoslovak Embassy in Moscow in order that they may be given to the Czechoslovak Government Delegate in the liberated area for his assistance in tracing American citizens and in granting them social assistance where necessary. The Minister adds that in this respect the Czechoslovak Government is willing to afford the same measure of help to them as that rendered to Czechoslovak citizens and will instruct its Delegate that his Mission should prepare and transmit a list of any American citizens who may be residing on territory administered by it.

As has already been reported, there is at present, under the terms of the Soviet-Czechoslovak Treaty of 1943,92 a Czechoslovak Government Delegate (Mr. František Němec) and his Mission on the territory of the Republic which has been liberated by the Soviet army. This delegation progressively takes over from the Soviet military authorities the civil administration of the liberated territory in the name of the Czechoslovak Government, a procedure which has thus far been applied in the Province of Subcarpathian Ruthenia.

Respectfully yours,

Rudolf E. Schoenfeld
  1. See footnote 78, p. 1212.
  2. For text of treaty of friendship, mutual assistance and post-war collaboration between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, with protocol, signed at Moscow on December 12, 1943, see British and Foreign State Papers, vol. cxlv, p. 238, or Department of State, Documents and State Papers, vol. i, No. 4, pp. 228–229. For correspondence on this treaty, see Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. iii, pp. 726735, passim.