740.00116 European War/9–2044
The Polish Chargé (Kwapiszewski) to the Secretary of State
The Polish Chargé d’Affaires a.i. has received the following cable communication from the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs:
The Polish Government in London received information from the German occupied part of Poland to the effect that the German authorities are preparing for mass murder of prisoners in the concentration camp of Oświęcim, in which about 45,000 persons are imprisoned. Of these 95 per cent are political prisoners. Besides Polish nationals there are in Oświęcim citizens of France, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Greece, as well as a large number of Jews of various nationalities.
The Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs addressed a note to the British Government with the request that the British Government, together with the Government of the United States, issue a public declaration warning the Germans against this continuation of new mass murder of prisoners and threatening that most severe consequences will follow should such a crime be perpetrated.
A similar note was delivered to the American Chargé d’Affaires in London. In addition, all interested Allied Governments have been informed by the Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Polish Chargé d’Affaires a.i. has the honor to request and to urge that proper action be taken by the Secretary of State as requested in the above mentioned note of the Polish Government handed to the American Chargé d’Affaires in London.35
- The Chargé near the Polish Government in Exile reported the receipt of the note in his telegram 103, September 21, 8 p.m.↩