Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, General: Political and Economic Matters, Volume II

800.4016 DP/12–2945

The British Embassy to the Department of State

Aide-Mémoire

His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom have given careful consideration to the State Department memorandum of the 27th October, 1945, regarding the segregation of Jewish displaced persons in Germany.

2. His Majesty’s Government were gratified to learn that Jewish displaced persons who desire to be repatriated or to return to their homes are not segregated from other persons who are nationals of the same country. They had in mind, however, the rather different case of German Jews, whom the Nazis attempted to deprive of their German nationality under the Nuernberg laws. As His Majesty’s Government understand it, such persons are liable to be segregated, as stateless persons, under the United States policy described in the State Department’s memorandum.

3. His Majesty’s Government believe that segregation may well lead the German Jewish displaced persons concerned to assume that some special arrangements are contemplated for their eventual settlement in another country.

4. His Majesty’s Government believe that if, as they hope, the Allies succeed in destroying the Nazi system, the great majority of German Jews will be capable of ultimate reabsorption into the German community, and their policy in the British zone of Germany is designed to encourage German Jews to seek to rebuild their lives in their own country.³³

Washington, December 29, 1945.

33. Replying to the above memorandum on January 28, 1946, the Department stated:

    “As was stated in the Department’s memorandum of October 27, 1945 the policy of segregation has no other significance than that of an administrative method of providing more convenient living arrangements for these persons. Under policies in effect in the United States zone in Germany, German Jews are encouraged to re-establish themselves in the German communities. Recent reports indicate that many such persons have succeeded in these efforts. Others have failed and on proper identification have been re-admitted to the displaced persons centers.

    “In the view of the Government of the United States these policies have been adopted without prejudice to any solution which may eventually be found for the persons in question.” (800.4016 DP/12–2945)