840.414/12–2445
The Secretary of War (Patterson) to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Secretary: As you doubtless are aware there has been gathered in Marburg and near Kassel in the U.S. Zone of Germany a large collection of German Foreign Office and other German ministerial records. These records have been exploited for a period of six months by United States and British investigators. The existence of these records has been made known to the Russians and French.
The Military Governor of the U.S. Zone of Germany has advised the War Department that, in the interest of quadripartite cooperation and the efficient administration of Germany, these records and similar records which may be in other zones should be made available for joint use by the four occupying authorities. Since it has been informally indicated that the Department of State does not now favor the quadripartite use of the ministerial records in the U.S. Zone, the Military Governor has been requested by the War Department to refrain from taking any action in this matter until further notice. It is our understanding that the Department of State prefers that these records be screened before they are made available to the Russians and the French, in order to avoid possible embarrassment to the British Government. Unfortunately, at the present rate of exploitation, it has been estimated that eighteen months would pass before this screening could be completed.
Wholehearted quadripartite cooperation in Germany is not only essential to the successful execution of our occupational mission but is directly related to the much more important objective of a peaceful solution of world-wide problems. At Berlin and Vienna a unique record of international cooperation has already been achieved. It is the view of the War Department that considerations of quadripartite cooperation far outweigh the disadvantages which it has been suggested might result from making these German ministerial records available for joint use by the four occupying authorities. The War Department therefore desires to authorize the Military Governor of Germany to initiate a quadripartite program for the use of German ministerial records by offering to make available those now in the U.S. Zone, subject to such arrangements with the British, Russians and French as he may consider properly reciprocal and appropriate. Furthermore, this proposal is in conformity with JCS 1067/6,11 Paragraph 6 (e), which makes the disposition of such records a matter for decision by the Control Council.
[Page 1133]In order that the Military Governor may receive guidance, in anticipation that the Russian and French members of the Allied Control Authority will soon raise the question of the availability of these records, an expression at an early date of your views on this matter will be appreciated.
Sincerely yours,