740.00115 E.W./12–544: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland ( Huddle )
4103. Reference Department’s 4010, November 27, 1944.57 In a separate telegram,58 the Department is communicating to you proposals to the German Government for an exchange of sick and wounded prisoners of war. This communication suggests that an exchange take place at Goteborg, Sweden, subject to the concurrence of the Swedish Government, on or about January 17.
The Swiss Legation in Washington has furnished the Department59 with a list of German nationals whose repatriation is desired by the German Government, and has indicated that the German Government desires that after consideration of this list, preference be given to German nationals from the other American republics interned in the United States and to German nationals formerly resident in the United States, now interned in this country.
Please request the Swiss Government to inform the German Government of our desire to proceed with the civilian exchange as outlined in previous instructions to you and of our desire that such an exchange take place in conjunction with the sick and wounded exchange and at the place and on the date suggested in the proposals for the latter exchange.
The Gripsholm, which will be used in this exchange, will carry 300 sick and wounded prisoners of war and 850 civilians on the outward voyage. The remainder of the German sick and wounded will be transported by facilities mentioned in the Department’s separate message under reference.
The United States Government is giving all possible consideration to the list of German nationals furnished by the Swiss Legation and will at the earliest possible time communicate to the Swiss Government a list of the German civilians to be repatriated from this country.