740.00119 Control (Germany)/6–1845: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
5372. Following comment offered your A–677 June 18 numbered paragraphs referring to corresponding paragraph of Foreign Office letter to you June 16:
- 1.
- As you and FonOff probably aware SHAEF has undertaken accept officials from neutral countries and to provide transportation upon being given adequate data.
- 2.
- Now too late to endeavor to arrange for recall of German officials as prelude to expulsion. American missions Paris and Moscow being requested inform Soviet and French Govts of action initiated. Dept remains convinced that maximum compliance would have been obtained by combination of recall and cooperation local Govts.
- 3.
- Dept concurs all three points raised this paragraph.
- 4.
- Arrangement to transfer German officials from Kabul to Germany through Russia appears to have failed owing to opposition Afghan Government. Similar Swedish reaction not unlikely as it is duty of host Govt to see retiring diplomats return to countries whence received. Furthermore, FonOff plan for disposition of officials might lead to controversy with Soviets regarding non-officials. Soviets might feel that plan would constitute agreement applicable to transportation to Soviet Zone of repatriated German non-officials from United Kingdom, US and other places where Soviet is represented. Further comment on this subject is invited. If there were not existent parallel problem of repatriation of non-officials and if obstacles had not been encountered at Kabul, Dept would be disposed to view Brit plan as possessing ideal advantages. Only alternative visible to Dept is endeavor obtain Soviet agreement to proposal that in order to obtain quickest possible compliance of host powers latter be given freedom to extent they seek it to designate route of deportees to Germany.
- 5.
- Dept informing missions in neutral countries it assumes that they are inviting their French and Soviet colleagues to cooperate in measures looking toward repatriating German officials.
- 6.
- See 2 and 3 above. Following being sent to Embassy
Moscow:17
“In view of potential harmfulness of former German officials stationed in neutral countries, US Govt in cooperation with Brit Govt has undertaken steps designed to obtain expulsion of such individuals and their return to Germany. It has further requested that such persons be made subject of house arrest or severer measures where necessary.
Coordinating your action with your British colleague who will presumably receive corresponding instructions inform FonOff foregoing and invite it concur in principle that neutral host Govts should be urged to cooperate in effecting fully repatriation of German officials found within their borders.
Inform FonOff we hope that Soviet representatives in Stockholm and Kabul will be instructed to cooperate with our missions along above lines. In view of possible difficulties encountered with host government respecting expulsion of individuals who may have ingratiated themselves some concessions may have to be made respecting route followed by such officials and their initial destination in Germany. However, it would seem that repatriated Germans should follow most direct course of travel to Germany unless for some reason the host Govt being asked to expel them, for reasons of its own prescribes some other course in which case, as matter of realism wishes of that host Govt would have to be met to solve present urgent problem of removal of these troublemakers.
Repatriated officials received into the Brit and American zones in Germany will be assembled for convenient interrogation and processing at a center where they will be at disposition of all Allied authorities. Soviet authorities will be at liberty to interrogate them at this center. It is assumed that corresponding facilities will be established for such officials received in Soviet zone.”
First two paragraphs above quoted telegram being sent Embassy Paris.18