Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The British Commonwealth, Western and Central Europe, Volume V

860F.4016/5–2047

Agreement Concerning the Temporary Interruption of the Transfer of Germans From the Czechoslovak Republic to the United States Zone of Occupation in Germany¹⁰

Prague, November 12, 1946

It was agreed at the Potsdam conference, July–August 1945,¹¹ to grant the request of Czechoslovakia to transfer the Germans from Czechoslovakia to Germany, provided this transfer be done in an orderly and humane manner.

The bulk of the movement has been completed by October 1946. In order to transfer the remainder of the Germans in a humane manner, it appears to be necessary in view of the approaching inclement winter season, to discontinue this movement temporarily.

It has been therefore agreed:

1. The transfer of the remainder of Germans will be discontinued on December 1 1946 and will be resummed during the month of April 1947.

2. All conditions of transfer in force up to this date will remain in force when the transfer is resumed in April 1947.

3. The United States Military Government agrees with the principle, that those Germans who are to be transferred to the U.S. occupied Zone of Germany and who are still remaining in Czechoslovakia will be transfered in the shortest possible time after the resumption of the movement as provided in paragraph 1 above.

4. The date on which the transfer will be resumed in the spring, the daily flow of transports and the other technical details concerning the transfer will be agreed upon at a conference to be held not later than February 15th 1947. The date of the beginning of the transfer and the technical conditions of the transfer of the insane, institutional cases, overaged and orphan/derelict/children will be agreed upon at the same date.

Signed in Prague, this 12th day of November 1946.

For the United States Military Government:

Harry S. Messec¹²

Lt Col GSC For the Czechoslovak Government:

Dr. Aisttonin Kucera¹³

10. Copy transmitted to the Department as an enclosure to despatch 9972, May 20, 1947, from Berlin, not printed.
11. See Foreign Relations, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, vol. ii, p. 1511.
12. Lieutenant Colonel Messec was on the staff of the Prisoners of War and Displaced Persons Division of OMGUS.
13. Plenipotentiary of the Czechoslovak Government for the Evacuation of Germans.