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

740.00119 Control (Germany)/10–1945: Telegram

The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State

Berlin, October 9, 1945—9 a.m.
[Received October 9—8:10 a.m.]

721. The Coordinating Committee of the Allied Control Authority for Germany, on behalf of the Control Council, has approved a report, prepared by the Political Directorate, proposing that applications to accredit mission to the Council from the following countries be accepted: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Greece, India, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa and Yugoslavia.

The list is confined to the 16 United Nations most immediately interested in current problems connected with Germany, or entitled to prompt representation by their contribution to German defeat.

The missions will be permitted to come to Berlin under the following eight conditions: (1) that each Allied Government whose application to accredit a military mission is accepted should be free to decide the composition of its own mission, but that the number of nationals of all ranks belonging to each mission should be limited to 10. This would not preclude the employment of a reasonable number of locally engaged domestic staff; (2) that it would be possible to find accommodation Berlin for 16 missions provided that they are limited to 10 members each plus a reasonable number of locally engaged domestic staff. Houses and offices could be for at least four missions in each sector of Berlin, but as no suitable undamaged houses or offices are at present available, it will take some time for the necessary repairs to be effected; (3) that each Govt. accrediting a mission should be asked to send one representative to Berlin immediately to investigate the accommodation available and to make all necessary arrangements with the visitors and administration section of the Allied Control Authority for the arrival of his mission; (4) that the members of these missions, while present in any zone of sector of occupation, will enjoy the same privileges and immunities from the jurisdiction of German courts the imposition of German taxes or the acts of German authorities as members of the Allied Control staffs. All members of these missions, both military and civil, will be subject to the military or Military Government laws made applicable by each zone or sector commander for members of the Allied Control staffs; (5) that these missions should enjoy freedom of movement with [in] the Greater Berlin area and, by agreement with the Commander in Chief concerned, within zone; (6) that such missions would have the right to communicate with their Governments by bag and cypher; (7) that each Government accrediting a mission should be asked to provide its members with all transport they require; (8) that the Allied military authorities in each sector should supply the members of those missions accredited in their sector with rations, currency (Allied military marks), petrol and oil against repayment.

It is presumed that the Department will take appropriate action.⁴⁰

Murphy

40. In telegram 666, October 12, 8 p.m., to the United States Political Adviser for Germany, the Department reported that a circular telegram (not printed), was sent to U.S. missions in the 16 countries listed in this telegram, with instructions to deliver notification of Control Council’s readiness to accept applications to accredit military missions to Council, under the eight conditions stipulated (740.00119 Control (Germany)/10–945). By mid-December 1945, the following countries had activated missions in Berlin: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Yugoslavia. In the course of 1946, missions were established by Brazil, Greece, India, Poland, and South Africa. By the beginning of 1947, New Zealand had not yet set up its mission in Berlin.