740.00119 Control (Germany)/1–246: Telegram
The Chargé in Spain (Butterworth) to the Secretary of State
most immediate
[Received January 4—8:23 a.m.]
7. This Embassy’s study of Spanish note on German repatriation despatch 134521 establishes following general reaction: (1) Expulsion [Page 795] and repatriation are not refused in principle. (2) Paragraph 2 of note apparently leaves door open for Safehaven categories of which no mention yet made to Foreign Minister.22 (3) Disposition of Spanish Govt to authorize travel (and exit from Spain) of all those to be repatriated. Expected prompt issuance of such authorizations in individual cases will be most helpful. (4) It is admitted there are groups whose presence in Spain is unjustified who should be expelled. (5) Spanish Govt requests for definite accusations only in certain cases of long time residents, considered as “incorporated in Spanish life” although number thereof may prove large. (6) Present list 100 names will be followed by others. List (despatch 1345) includes several high Embassy officials and many important Abwehr and Gestapo among the four [two?] selected by Foreign Minister from our first and second priorities; 24 are on official A list and 18 on agents B list, 36 from first priority list and 6 from second.
One Emtel 2533, December 14, London 69723 [?] not named. (7) Contrary to previous oral statements Spanish Govt for first time accept legal capacity HCC [ACC?] to it as Govt of Germany.24
In oral discussion by British and this Embassy with official of Spanish Foreign Minister [Ministry] regarding Spanish understanding of certain points in note following were covered, (a) Embassy’s tentative proposal that 400 our candidates be removed if possible by plane and then 400 guards by train will be studied by Foreign Minister. All concerned agreed ship is best solution. Please indicate present status this possibility (London’s 343, December 22, to Madrid Dept 13428 Berlin 423 Lisbon25). (b) Minister stated another list would not be ready for a month but at our request undertook to endeavor to expedite. We will be provided with list of those considered incorporated into Spanish life against whom our accusations requested.
We pressed for rounding up persons to be removed by plane prior to actual arrival planes in accord with USFET’s request; Minister felt fortnight would suffice to produce candidates and agreed in principle, (d) Minister agreed to intern at once any further dangerous German we may name.
Further conversation will occur about January 4. Despatch follows.
Berlin is requested to ascertain whether planes for removal 42 to 50 can be made available tentatively about January 25. If answer affirmative we shall at once inform Minister and follow up on concentrating passengers.
[Page 796]Spanish reply to our repatriation proposals thus represents immediate concrete basis on which to begin. Although the note contains may [many] ambiguous terms and as is customarily the case in Spain its satisfactory execution will require persistent efforts on part of both Embassies. Departure shortly of important group named above will have definite effect upon entire German colony and pro-Axis.
Spanish requests that Allies pay expenses of internees will be made subject another telegram.
While British Embassy agree in general with these views it has not yet concluded its study of Spanish reply.
Repeated London as No. 1. London please repeat to Berlin as Embassy’s 1. Repeated Lisbon by pouch.
- Despatch 1345, December 21, 1945, not printed, but for text of Spanish note dated December 11, 1945, see telegram 2573, December 20, 1945, from Madrid, Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. iii, p. 819.↩
- Alberto Martin Artajo.↩
- Not printed; it stated that the Embassy considered that former German funds available to Allied trusteeship in Spain were sufficient to cover costs of air lifting of Germans to be repatriated from Spain (740.00116 E.W./12–1445).↩
- This paragraph is garbled.↩
- Not printed.↩