840.48 Refugees/3–845: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 8—6:24 p.m.]
1481. For Department from WRB and McClelland. Department’s 819, February 23 and Legation’s 1345, March 2.53 Conversation with Burckhardt of ICRC on March 6 revealed that Himmler has now signified his willingness to meet with Burckhardt on March 10, 11 or 12. Burckhardt accompanied by his personal secretary, Bachmann, will therefore definitely leave for Germany on March 8 or 9. Conversations will be exclusively with SS, principally Himmler and Kaltenbrunner.54 Intermediary who extended SS invitation stated that he had been instructed to inform Burckhardt that “the Führer’s health permitting” Hitler himself might be present at part of discussions.
Above paragraph is for strictly confidential information of Department and WRB.
Burckhardt plans to take up whole question of relief to prisoners of war and to all categories of “Schutzhaeftlinge” irrespective of nationality, race or religion. The release and removal of physically unfit particularly raised.
In this connection ICRC was officially informed on March 3, by German Government that latter now agreed to exit from Germany of elderly persons, women and children who were unsuited as labor, of “Nordic” extraction or nationalities and of French nationality. Among French it is not clear whether Nazis include Jews. Burckhardt promised me that he will attempt to obtain release of Jews as well within any national group if, for unclarified reasons, Germans wish to limit evacuees to certain nationalities.
According to plan reported our 1345, 25 trucks with fuel and POW parcels left Switzerland March 7 for Germany. Germans OKW55 [Page 1139] has now granted permission for entry as many trucks as ICRC desires for POW relief. It is not clear whether this authorization includes trucks carrying relief to Schutzhaeftlinge. Burckhardt will endeavor secure favorable decision on this point.
Number of trucks now potentially available to ICRC in Switzerland very inadequate to any extraordinary relief program for POWs, not to speak of Schutzhaeftlinge, and would be also insufficient if Nazis agree to permit removal from Germany of any considerable number of Schutzhaeftlinge. In all ICRC has 48 United States trucks of from 7 to 8 tons capacity and 50 Canadian trucks of only 3 tons.
It is my understanding that SHAEF has now agreed to supply fuel but only for transport relief to POWs and not for unassimilated groups. You might wish to take this question up with War Department.
It is not impossible that we may suddenly be confronted with a major technical and transport problem if, following Burckhardt’s negotiations, Germans agree to release a large number of Schutzhaeftlinge who might conceivably run to several tens of thousands. It is most unlikely under present conditions Germans will be able or willing transport such evacuees to Swiss border or Swiss to send railway trains to Germany to get them.
I am working on problem transport our 60,000 WRB parcels to unassimilated groups in Germany through private Swiss trucking concerns and ICRC Division of Special Assistance. There is slight possibility of obtaining 5 to 8 wood-burning trucks if tires can be supplied from outside or at very least guarantee of their replacement within a short and precise time limit. One must estimate average 10 heavy duty tires and 2 spares per truck.
Regarding entry of new and larger groups of refugees, von Steiger, President of Confederation, assured ICRC that in principle Switzerland would admit such groups to the limit of its possibilities. [WRB and McClelland.]