740.00119 Control (Germany)/7–3045: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 1—2:15 a.m.]
234. The Allied Control Council for Germany met for the first time [Page 821] in formal session55 in Berlin today under General Eisenhower’s chairmanship. The other representatives attending were Marshal Zhukov for USSR, Marshal Montgomery for UK, and General Koenig for France.56 The agenda included: (1) The American proposal for the activation of the control machinery57 (2) an American suggestion for procedure for the meetings of the Council (3) progress report on the preparation of the Control Council building in Berlin (4) a British proposal on the French sector of Berlin (5) a British proposal for certain boundary adjustments between the British and USSR zones and (6) a British proposal regarding airfield requirements in Berlin.
It was decided that the Council would meet every ten days on the 10th, 20th and 30th at 2 p.m. It is hoped to hold the next meeting in the new central building (formerly occupied by the Berlin Kammergericht58). The chairmanship will rotate, the American representative continuing to act as chairman during August, and to be followed by the representatives of Great Britain, France, and USSR, based on the alphabetical order of the country names.
The American proposal for the activation of the control machinery was submitted to the deputies who will endeavor to submit their recommendations by August 4.
The British proposal for the allocation as the French zone of the districts of Reinickendorf and Wedding at present forming part of the British sector and including the Hermann Goering barracks situated within the Wedding area was approved.59
The British and American Deputy Commanders and Political Advisers met in Berlin with the Soviet Commander in Chief on June 29, July 7, and July 10. The date of July 30 for the first session of the Control Council was selected at the last meeting. For documentation on the meeting of June 29, see: Notes of a Conference between Marshal Zhukov, General Clay, and General Weeks, Berlin, June 29, p. 353, and telegram 87, from the U.S. Political Adviser for Germany, June 30, Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. i, p. 135; the meeting of July 7: telegram 130, from the U.S. Political Adviser for Germany, July 7, ibid., pp. 630–633, and pp. 755–756; the meeting of July 10: telegram 157 from the U.S. Political Adviser for Germany, July 12, ibid., pp. 638–639. For an account of all three meetings, see Lucius D. Clay, Decision in Germany (Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday & Co., 1950), pp. 20–33.
[Page 822]The Council also approved the British proposal regarding the following transfers of small parcels of territory along the Anglo-Russian zone limits: (1) The transfer to the Russian zone of that part of Regierungsbezirk Lüneburg lying in the Province of Hanover lying east of the river Elbe; (2) the transfer to the Russian zone of that part of Landkreis Blankenburg in the Province of Hanover lying east of the river Wormebode; (3) the transfer to the British zone of that part of Landkreis Hohenstein in the Province of Brandenburg in the immediate area of Bad Sachsa as far south as and including the road Neuhof-Tetterbom.
The British representative also submitted a brief memorandum suggesting that each of the control powers have adequate air facilities and proposing that this question should be examined immediately by the Coordinating Committee. As the Coordinating Committee has not yet been organized, Marshal Zhukov urged that the British submit a paper making specific recommendations at the next meeting. This was agreed. At the present time the American sector includes the Tempelhof Airfield but only part of the Gatow Airfield lies in the British sector. The British suggested that all of Gatow be allocated to the British sector and the Staaken Airfield be allocated to the French.
Pending the organization of the Coordinating Committee the four deputies of the members of the Council will act informally as a committee.
It was also decided that each chairman will provide the official minutes (protocol) of each Council meeting a copy of which is to be provided on the following each meeting to the other members of the Council and authenticated by each member or his deputy.
The French representative requested authorization for the entry of material and personnel of his forces into the French sector. This was approved and the deputies were instructed to facilitate the French entry into their sector. General Eisenhower promised full cooperation as did Marshals Zhukov and Montgomery.
Marshal Zhukov referred to the informal meetings held in Berlin on July 7 and July 10 at which time the questions relating to the supply of coal and food for Berlin came under discussion. He stated that up to July 27 a total of 21,600 tons of coal should have been delivered from the Ruhr but that up to that date only 6,100 tons had been received. With respect to flour 15,000 tons should have been received but only 8,000 tons arrived by the date mentioned. He stated that the receipt of other items was in the same proportion. On Zhukov’s suggestion the deputies were instructed to meet and study [Page 823] the data on these subjects and to report fully on measures to be taken to correct the situation at the next meeting on August 10.
In the foregoing connection Marshal Montgomery said that according to the information available to him full quantities had been entrained but difficulties had been experienced with the traffic at the Zonal boundary. He suggested that the Berlin Kommandatura60 should report on this matter. Zhukov, however, insisted that it be handled by the four deputies. General Eisenhower promised a careful investigation of this question.
The British announced also the replacement of Lieutenant General Weeks by Lt. General Robertson as deputy to Marshal Montgomery. The others are: For the US General Clay, for the USSR General Sokolovsky, and for the French General Koeltz.61
General Eisenhower also extended what he termed a personal invitation to the forces of three Commanders in Chief to visit the American [zone]. He stated that it was possible that in the American zone British, French, and Russian officers might have acquaintances and that if any would like to come to the American zone he would be welcome. He suggested that such officers should make application to their own Commanders in Chief and then send the application to General Clay. The number of visitors, however, would of necessity be kept within reasonable limits in order that they might not prove an excessive burden on the present limited facilities. In making the invitation General Eisenhower qualified it by saying that it was a personal invitation on his part which might be subject to review by his Government but that his purpose was to promote friendship. The Russian and French representatives assumed that there was an implication of reciprocal treatment and suggested that the matter be studied by the deputies. General Eisenhower emphasized, however, that this was not his idea but that he was merely extending a personal invitation as described.
Repeated to Paris as 26 and and to London as 31.
- Various preliminary meetings had been held to make the technical arrangements required to effect the entry of western occupation forces into Berlin, and to bring the four-power control of Germany into operation. On June 5, the four Allied Commanders in Chief met in Berlin; for reports of these meetings see telegram FWD 23724, June 6, from General Eisenhower to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Frankfurt, and telegram 3358, June 6, from the U.S. Political Adviser for Germany, Paris, pp. 328 and 330, respectively.↩
- The Commanders in Chief of the occupying forces in Germany were: General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower for the U.S., Field Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery for Great Britain, Lt. Gen. Marie-Pierre Koenig for France, and Marshal Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov for the U.S.S.R.↩
- See footnote 64, p. 824.↩
- The former High Court of Appeals for Berlin.↩
- For a more complete account of the discussion in the Control Council on this subject, see extract from the minutes of the Control Council Meeting, July 30, p. 366. For documentation on this subject, see Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. i, pp. 598–604, and ibid., vol. ii, pp. 1001–1006.↩
- The Allied Kommandatura, the inter-Allied governing authority for Greater Berlin. For documentation on the establishment of the Allied Kommandatura, see Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. i, pp. 630–634, 638–639, and 755–756; for documentation on the operations of the Allied Kommandatura. see post, pp. 1033 ff.↩
- The Deputy Military Governors, and Deputy Commanders of the occupying forces in Germany were: Lt. Gen. Lucius D. Clay for the United States, Lt. Gen. Sir Brian H. Robertson for Great Britain, Lt. Gen. Louis Koeltz for France, and Army General Vassily Danilovich Sokolovsky for the Soviet Union.↩