Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, European Advisory Commission, Austria, Germany, Volume III

740.00119 Control (Austria)/4–345

The Secretary of State to the United States Political Adviser on Austrian Affairs (Erhardt), at Caserta

Washington, April 3, 1945.

Dear Jack: This letter is intended for your guidance in your new mission as United States Political Adviser on Austrian Affairs. In that mission you will have the responsibility of representing the interests and policies of the United States, and also will contribute toward the re-establishment of the independence of Austria in fulfillment of the Moscow Declaration of November 1, 1943, and the continuation of American policy towards Austria reviewed in the memorandum enclosed herewith.

You are attached initially as Political Adviser on Austrian Affairs to the Commanding General, American Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, and will later serve as Political Adviser to the Commanding General, United States Forces in Austria, whom you will advise in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the American Forces in Austria and American Member of the Supreme Allied Authority in Austria during the period of inter-allied military government following its liberation. In addition to the duties prescribed for political advisers in any international protocol agreed upon through the European Advisory Commission, you will advise the American Commander-in-Chief on all matters with which the foreign policy of this Government is concerned, and will in addition be responsible for representing the interests of this Government in any matters which may not be the responsibility of the Allied Military Commander. Personnel sent to Austria by the Department of State and other agencies of this Government will, insofar as they are not under the direction of the Military Commander, be subject to the exercise by you of the general supervision usually exercised by the chief of the diplomatic mission over American officials in foreign countries. Consular and other similar activities carried on for this Government as distinct from the military government of Austria will be under your immediate direction. It is contemplated that you will also serve as American head of the political division of Allied Military Government in Austria, under the direction of the latter, if desired by the American Commander.

In addition to representing the interests of the United States in all matters with which you are concerned, you will seek to have its policies carried out insofar as they concern Austria. At the present time these policies are set forth primarily in the Moscow Declaration of November 1, 1943, and in the principles enunciated by President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Marshal Stalin at Yalta.⁹¹ In collaboration with the other United Nations we intend to destroy Nazism and fascism, and take measures to preserve future peace and security.

The basic aim of American policy in Austria is its immediate separation from Germany and the establishment of a free, democratic, Austrian state. It is in the interest of the United States that Austria develop that type of political and economic structure which will not place it in the position of a special ward of the international community or of any single power, but which will enable it to achieve future internal stability and mutually beneficial political and economic relations with its neighboring states.

The United States intends to execute these policies through the firm establishment of Inter-Allied Military Government in Austria designed to sever all ties with Germany and eradicate all German influence in Austria, and then to facilitate the establishment of a free and independent democratic state as soon as the Austrians are capable of accomplishing it. It intends for the present to recognize no group or groups either in Austria or abroad as constituting the government or official representatives of Austria until the Austrian people themselves, through democratic processes, can elect their own representatives or government. It intends, then, in agreement with the other states participating in the allied administration, to recognize such a government of Austria provided it be essentially democratic in character and accept appropriate internal and external responsibilities.

Depending upon the contribution of the Austrians themselves to their own liberation and reconstitution, the Government of the United States intends, in collaboration with our allies, to create conditions in which the Austrians can achieve their, political and economic welfare in harmony with their neighboring states.

In the execution of these American policies and ideals you will contribute to the re-establishment of a country in the heart of Europe which has now been over-run by Nazi invaders but which should be destined after liberation to form a keystone in the regeneration of Central Europe, which itself is so vital to the peace and security of the rest of Europe and of the world.

My good wishes go with you in your mission towards these ends.

Sincerely yours,

Edward R. Stettinius, Jr.

[Enclosure]

Memorandum by the Department of State

[Washington,] March 16, 1945.

Subject: United States Policy Toward Austria

March 1933–August 1939

The United States steadily regarded with favor the development of a free and independent Austria dedicated to democratic principles, and viewed with strong disapproval all Nazi attempts to force Austria into the German Reich, including the formal Anschluss in 1938.⁹²

The latter, following repeated protestations by Hitler that “the assertion that the German Reich plans to coerce the Austrian state is absurd,” became a fact when German troops marched into Austria to occupy it on March 11, 1938. An Austrian law of March 13, 1938 decreed that Austria was a province of the German Reich⁹³ and on March 17 the Austrian Minister in Washington informed the Department that Austria had ceased to exist as an independent nation and that it had been incorporated in the German Reich.⁹⁴ The German Ambassador transmitted a note to this effect on March 14, 1938.⁹⁵

This fait accompli was faced in notes delivered to the German Government by the American Ambassador at Berlin in March [April] 1938⁹⁶ which demanded that Germany pay Austria’s indebtedness to the United States, and, referring to the Austrian Minister’s note, stated that this Government

“is under the necessity for all practical purposes of accepting what he says as a fact and accordingly consideration is being given to the adjustments in its own practices and procedure in various regards which will be necessitated by the change of status in Austria.”

September 1939–December 6, 1941

This position was never considered to constitute de jure recognition of the Anschluss however. The attitude of the United States was constantly guided by its policy of refusing to recognize acquisitions of territory by force in violation of treaty obligations. In his radio address of May 27, 1941⁹⁷ President Roosevelt referred repeatedly to “the seizure of Austria” and described the Austrians as the first of a series of peoples enslaved by Hitler in his march of conquest. War-time administrative measures in the United States such as the freezing of assets, selective service, and registration of aliens, usually classified Austria among the territories seized or occupied by Germany by force.

The Atlantic Charter signed by President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Marshal Stalin [sic], on August 14, 1941,⁹⁸ included a declaration that

“Third, they respect the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live; and they wish to see sovereign right[s] and self-government restored to those who have been forcibly deprived of them.”

December 7, 1941–date

To clarify confusion in the public mind regarding the status of Austria, Secretary Hull replied as follows to a question at his press conference on July 27, 1943 [1942]:

“It is probable that such confusion, if it exists, has arisen from administrative steps which may have been taken by this Government in pursuance of its own laws designed to afford adequate protection to this country’s interests in dealing with the situation presented by the imposition of military control over Austria and residents of Austria by Germany. This Government very clearly made known its opinions as to the manner in which the seizure of Austria took place and the relation of that seizure to this Government’s well-known policy toward the taking of territory by force. This Government has never taken the position that Austria was legally absorbed into the German Reich.”

This Government’s present policy toward Austria is recorded in the Moscow Declaration of November 1, 1943 in which it was declared that the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union

“… are agreed that Austria, the first free country to fall a victim to Hitlerite aggression, shall be liberated from German domination.

“They regard the annexation imposed on Austria by Germany on March 15, 1938, as null and void. They consider themselves as in no way bound by any changes effected in Austria since that date. They declare that they wish to see reestablished a free and independent Austria and thereby to open the way for the Austrian people themselves as well as those neighboring states which will be faced with similar problems, to find that political and economic security which is the only basis of lasting peace.

“Austria is reminded, however, that she has a responsibility, which she cannot evade, for participation in the war at the side of Hitlerite Germany, and that in the final settlement account will inevitably be taken of her own contribution to her liberation.”

Policies for the Future

The United States intends to:

(a) Recognize no group or groups in exile as constituting the government or representatives of Austria.

(b) Establish Anglo-Soviet-American tripartite military government of Austria as soon as it is occupied. (French participation is also being considered now.)

(c) Sever all Austrian ties with Germany and eradicate all German influence in Austria.

(d) Facilitate establishment of a free and independent democratic state as soon as the Austrians are capable of establishing it.

(e) Depending upon the contribution of the Austrians themselves to their own liberation from German dominance, extend to Austria economic treatment approaching that for the liberated countries, without subjecting Austria to the reparations and other economic treatment to be applied to Germany.

91. See Communiqué issued February 12, 1945, at the end of conference between President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin, Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union, at Yalta, Conferences of Malta and Yalta, p. 968.
92. For documentation regarding the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938, see Foreign Relations, 1938, vol. i, pp. 384 ff.
93. See telegram No. 77, March 13, 1938, 11 p.m. from the Chargé in Austria, ibid., p. 438.
94. See telegram No. 27, March 19, 1938, 3 p.m. to the Ambassador in Germany, ibid., p. 456.
95. Department of State Press Releases, March 15, 1938, p. 374, or Documents on German Foreign Policy, 1918–1945, series D, vol. i, document No. 378, p. 594. See also memorandum of conversation by the Under Secretary of State, March 14, 1938, Foreign Relations, 1938, vol. i, p. 442.
96. See telegram No. 35, April 5, 1938, 7 p.m. to the Ambassador in Germany. ibid., vol. ii, p. 483.
97. Department of State Bulletin, May 31, 1941, p. 647.
98. Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. i, p. 367.