Office of the Historian

800.4016 DP/4–1045

The Acting Secretary of State to the Estonian Acting Consul General in Charge of the Legation (Kaiv)

Washington, May 5, 1945.

Sir: I acknowledge the receipt of your note of April 10, 1945 (No. 27) asking the United States Government to prevent the repatriation against his or her wish of any Estonian citizen found in the territory where American military control has been or will be established and that no such an Estonian be turned over to the Soviet Army or placed under the jurisdiction of any other Soviet authorities.

With respect to the foregoing requests, it may be stated for the information of the Legation that in principle it is contrary to the policy of this Government to arrange for the involuntary repatriation of persons who, as a result of events in Europe have had to leave their countries of residence because of the danger to their lives or liberties on account of their race, religion or political beliefs.26

Accept [etc.]

For the Acting Secretary of State:
William Phillips

  1. Paragraph 33 of SHAEF Administrative Memorandum No. 39 (Revised April 16, 1945) provided that Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians who could not be or who did not desire to be repatriated were to be treated as assimilated United Nations displaced persons.

    In a note dated July 6 in reply to a further Estonian note of June 22 regarding Estonians in German territory about to be evacuated by United States forces, the Department of State indicated that the policy of the United States “on this matter as outlined in the Departments note of May 5, 1945 continues in effect”. (740.00119 Control (Germany)/6–2245)

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