Office of the Historian

711.62114 Sick/7–2144: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

Bern, July 21, 1944.
[Received July 21—6:54 p.m.]

4685. American Interests Germany. Legation’s 4658, July 20.42 Foreign Office note dated today quotes German reply Department’s 2381 July 11 (translation follows).

1.
German Government agrees to further exchange seriously wounded soldiers and excess protected personnel.
2.
German Government reserves right propose place exchange.
3.
German Government intends repatriate in new exchange all British and American officers and soldiers in German custody who have thus far been declared eligible for repatriation by Mixed Medical Commission. Among these there should be approximately 250 American POWs.43
4.
German Government assumes American Government will repatriate:
(a)
Approximately 400 German sanitary officers, sanitary noncommissioned officers and sanitary enlisted men who at end February were excess in American POW camps North Africa especially in camps numbers 131 and 326.
(b)
700 members German sanitary service who are in excess in North America especially in Crossville, Mexia and Euston camps also in most other camps.
(c)
800 seriously wounded who were left behind in Italy by German troops i.e. 150 in civilian hospital at Rome and 650 at Civita Castellana.
5.
German Government assumes further that seriously wounded and excess protected personnel from camps North Africa to extent that they are not under immediate British or American administration will be repatriated. In last exchange May 17 only those repatriables given consideration who were under medical treatment near Oran. According information given by repatriates substantial number those eligible for repatriation are in other hospitals and camps.
6.
German Government agreeable beginning September as probable exchange date.
7.
Lists both exchange groups are to be forwarded at least 10 days in advance of exchange date to Swiss Government Bern.
Harrison
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Prisoners of War.↩