Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Council of Foreign Ministers, Volume II

740.00119 Council/4–2646: Telegram

The Ambassador in Czechoslovakia (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State, at Paris³²

secret

Praha, April 26, 1946—6 p.m.

100. For the Secretary and Riddleberger. I am in receipt of a personal letter from Masaryk³³ to the effect that it is “of decisive importance to Czechoslovakia” that at the Conference of Foreign Ministers in Paris “discussions should take place and decisions be arrived at” concerning

(1). The desire of the Czechoslovakia Govt that in addition to the exchange of Hungarians and Slovaks already arranged between the two Govts an additional 200,000 Hungarians be transferred from Czechoslovakia to Hungary.³⁴

(2). Czechoslovakia’s territorial claims against Germany in the event that “German question” is discussed by the Conference of Foreign Ministers, and

(3). That in connection with either or both of the matters enumerated above a representative of the Czechoslovakia Govt be afforded an opportunity to present the Czechoslovak petition. The letter closes with a request for a reply as soon as possible.

I am also in receipt of a note from the FonOff enclosing “the territorial demands of Czechoslovakia against Germany together with the appropriate proofs and documentation including a map of the desired changes”. The note requests the support of the Secretary at the Conference of Foreign Ministers in Paris on behalf of the Czechoslovak petition in the event that the conference should take up in any manner “The question of Germany”. In the event that “The German question should not be taken up at the Conference of Foreign Ministers in Paris” the note requests that the conference determine the forum where Czechoslovakia “may bring forward the proposals mentioned” and urges “that this be done in the nearest possible future”. The note concludes with the statement that although it will be seen from the proposals and documents that Czechoslovak territorial demands against Germany are confined to a minimum they are of vital importance to Czechoslovakia and that it is difficult for Czechoslovakia to reconstruct its economic and administrative life while uncertain about its frontiers with Germany.

The map and supporting memorandum enclosed with the note are being forwarded to the Embassy in Paris by courier on April 30 addressed to Riddleberger.³⁵

Sent Paris as 100 repeated Dept as 634.

Steinhardt

32. Sent on the same date to the Department as telegram 634; received April 27, 5:13 p.m.
33. Jan Masaryk, Czechoslovak Minister for Foreign Affairs.
34. For additional documentation regarding the interest of the United States in the peaceful settlement of the dispute between Hungary and Czechoslovakia over the exchange of populations, see vol. vi, pp. 361 ff.
35. Masaryk’s note of April 24, 1946, the Czechoslovak Foreign Ministry Note No. 71.084/M/46 of the same date, together with the memorandum entitled “Rectification of the Frontiers of Czechoslovakia Towards Germany” and the map referred to here, none printed, were transmitted to the Department as enclosures to despatch 814, April 26, 1946, from Praha, not printed (740.00119-EW/4–2646). Czechoslovakia asked for annexation of the following areas: Ratiboř and Hlubčicko (Leobschütz) including the Oder River port of Kozlí (Cosel); Kladsko (Glatz); Krkonose (Riesengebirge) sector and the areas of Hirschberg and Waldenburg; in the Zitava sector, the towns of Zitava, Hirschfeld and the German portion of the town of Saidenberg: the foreland north of the Krusnohori (Erzgebirge) mountains; a small rectification along the Bohemia-Bavaria frontier which would include the town of Brod nad Lesy (Furth im Walde).