Office of the Historian

860F.01/524: Telegram

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

London, March 17, 1944—5 p.m.
[Received 11 p.m.]

3 Zecho. Acting Foreign Minister Ripka states the Czechoslovak Government would like to enter into a civil affairs arrangement with the American, British and Soviet Governments. He explains that when in Moscow last year President Beneš discussed the general question with the Soviet authorities and that they were in agreement on certain principles, namely, that when Czechoslovak territory was liberated the Czechoslovak units in Russia should enter liberated territory, together with Soviet forces, as a symbol of their participation in their country’s liberation and that a Czechoslovak Government delegate should be appointed to set up a Czechoslovak administration and to ensure effective cooperation between it and the Allied Commander-in-Chief.

Ripka adds that because of political and practical considerations the Czechoslovak Government desires to make arrangements not only with the Soviet Government but with the American and British Governments. He cites as an example of such considerations the desire to secure permission for the return to Czechoslovakia of Czechoslovak aviators serving with the forces in England when Czechoslovak territory is liberated.

Ripka requests me to forward the following draft embodying his Government’s suggestions for such an arrangement and states it will be appreciated if the American authorities may give an indication of their views on the general question and on the specific suggestions. Similar request has been made of the British and Soviet Governments.

“Scheme of arrangement to operate when the Allied Forces enter Czechoslovak territory.

1.
As soon as Allied Forces, as the result of war operations, enter Czechoslovak territory, the Allied Commander-in-Chief will possess the supreme authority and responsibility in all matters essential to [Page 516] the conduct of the war in the zone of war operations for the period necessary to carry out those operations.
2.
A Czechoslovak Government delegate for the liberated territories will be appointed, whose task it will be:
(a)
To set up and direct, in accordance with Czechoslovak law, the administration of the territory which has been cleared of the enemy.
(b)
To reconstitute the Czechoslovak Armed Forces there.
(c)
To ensure effective cooperation between the Czechoslovak administration and the Allied Commander-in-Chief, and in particular, to give the local authorities appropriate instructions on the basis of the needs and wishes of the Allied Commander-in-Chief.
3.
The Czechoslovak troops comprised in the Allied armies when they enter Czechoslovak territory will immediately be utilized there.
4.
To facilitate contact between the Allied Commander-in-Chief and the Czechoslovak Government delegate a Czechoslovak military mission will be set up at the headquarters of the Allied Commander-in-Chief.
5.
As regards the zones under the supreme authority of the Allied Commander-in-Chief, the Czechoslovak Government authorities and representatives in the liberated territory will be in touch with the Allied Commander-in-Chief through the Czechoslovak Government delegate.
6.
As soon as any part of the liberated territory ceases to be a zone of actual war operations, the Czechoslovak Government will take over the full exercise of public authority there, with the commitment that the Czechoslovak civil and military administration will afford the Allied Commander-in-Chief all necessary assistance and support.
7.
Members of the Allied Forces on Czechoslovak territory will be amenable to the jurisdiction of the Allied Commander-in-Chief. Civilians on Czechoslovak territory will likewise be subject to this latter jurisdiction, even in cases of penal offences committed against the Allied Armed Forces, unless such offences were committed in the zone of war operations. In the latter case they will come under the jurisdiction of the Allied Commander-in-Chief.
Any doubts about jurisdiction which may arise will be settled by agreement between the Allied Commander-in-Chief and the Czechoslovak Government delegate.
8.
A special agreement will be reached on the subject of financial, and notably currency matters, connected with the entry of Allied Forces into Czechoslovak territory.”
[Schoenfeld]