740.00119 Control (Germany)/9–645: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 15—10:08 p.m.]
462. Third meeting of Political Directorate2 held this afternoon with Mr. Steel3 presiding.
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On matter of proposed pooling of documents and officials in connection with setting up central administrations4 it was agreed that to begin with the proposed lists would be gotten up only in the five fields of finance, transport, communications, foreign trade and industry mentioned at Potsdam. It was also agreed that the UK and the US having the bulk of documents and personnel, should draw up preliminary lists so that the Coordinating Committee can decide on whether to start on the creation of central administrations at once. I stressed that we expect lists from the Soviets and French as soon as possible, and Mr. Sobolev5 stated that they would be produced. It was agreed that the personnel lists would be screened to remove the more than nominal Nazis. I suggested that the Kassel area would be the most suitable place for central administrations as the bulk of material already there is great. Mr. Sobolev would offer no opinion.
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- The Political Directorate was composed of the four Political Advisers.↩
- Christopher E. Steel, Political Adviser of the British Element, Control Commission for Germany.↩
- Telegram 342, August 22, from Berlin, reported that at the Coordinating Committee meeting of that date, the British member proposed the pooling of experienced German officials and records in order to make possible the creation of central German administrative agencies. He suggested central German departments in the fields of finance, transportation, communications, foreign trade and industry, and food and agriculture. The matter was turned over to the Political Directorate for further study. (740.00119 Control (Germany)/8–2245)↩
- Arkady Aleksandrovich Sobolev, Political Adviser to the Chief of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany.↩