740.00119 Control (Germany)/12–1947
The Chargé in Czechoslovakia (Bruins) to the Secretary of State
No. 3369
Sir: I have the honor to transmit a translation of the Czechoslovak Foreign Office Note 240.724/M–1/47 of December 17, 19471 regarding anti-Czechoslovak political activity among former Sudeten Germans now in the American Zone of Germany, with the following background explanation.
The officers at this Embassy who deal with political matters have on several occasions permitted their Czechoslovak contacts to gain the impression that we do not look with any degree of warmth on the gratuitous publicity indulged in by various Czechoslovak government organs on the manner in which the United States administers its Zone of Occupation in Germany, especially as regards the nearly 1,750,000 Sudeten Germans who were recently transplanted there. By the same means the Czechoslovak authorities have repeatedly been reminded that at the Potsdam Conference when the question of transferring Sudeten Germans was being discussed the British delegation was against the transfer, the Russians were in favor of it and that American action in siding with the Russians was the decisive factor which put into effect the policy of transferring the Sudeten Germans. Furthermore, the Czechoslovak authorities have been reminded that by far the largest part of the Sudeten German population was taken into our Zone much to our own inconvenience and expense and consequently the American authorities are not inclined to view with any warmth the gratuitous suggestions of the Czechoslovak authorities as to how we should handle the Sudeten Germans in our Zone. This culminated in a press release by the Embassy, November 8, 1947, after due consultation with our Military Authorities in Germany which contained a statement of our policy of forbidding any political organization among the Sudeten Germans as such and of only allowing [Page 254] them to belong to social and cultural organizations which were not exclusively Sudeten German in membership.2
However, Ambassador Steinhardt and Mr. Bruins on the occasion of a lengthy conversation on this subject on November 13th with Dr. Arnost Heidrich, General Secretary, (a position analogous to Undersecretary) of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed him that if the Czechoslovak authorities at any time have specific, factual information or documentation in support of their assertions that the Sudeten Germans are indulging in undue political activity and agitation we would accept it from him and transmit it to the appropriate American authorities. At the same time it was suggested to Dr. Heidrich that the American authorities in Germany have much better facilities for ascertaining the pertinent facts than do the Czechoslovak authorities whose representation in Germany is small. It may be mentioned here that Dr. Heidrich is extremely cooperative and sympathetic not only with the United States but with all of the Western Powers.
On December 18, 1947, Dr. Vlado clementis (Communist), Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, handed me the enclosed note with the remark that it is the result of the conversation with the Ambassador and myself on this subject on November 13th. Consequently this is being transmitted for the information and use of the Department and the American Military authorities in Germany.
A copy of the note is being sent to USPolAd, Berlin, together with 7 pertinent photostatic copies of documents which were enclosed with the note.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed; it expressed satisfaction with the declaration of the American Embassy in Praha on November 8 concerning American policy toward the Sudeten German population transferred to Germany (see the following footnote). The note complained, however, about the alleged anti-Czechoslovak activities in the American zone of occupation of Germany by Wenzel Jaksch, exile leader of the German Social Democratic Party of Czechoslovakia. The note also complained that the German press in the American zone was allowed to publish resolutions, speeches and articles dealing with the Sudeten Germans which were hostile to the Czechoslovak State.↩
- The statement issued by the American Embassy on November 8 was substantially as follows: It was the intention of the United States Military Government in Germany that Sudeten Germans transferred from Czechoslovakia to the United States zone of occupation be assimilated into the German economy and social structure and that their interests be identified with those of Germany as rapidly as possible. It was also the purpose of the United States Military Government, however, that this be accomplished in a democratic manner as an example for the future behavior and actions of the transferred peoples. In view of the turmoil and uncertainty attendant upon the uprooting of these peoples, it would be appreciated that these objectives could not be achieved immediately. Understandably, individuals and groups might be tempted from time to time to express dissatisfaction with their lot. Under these circumstances, organizations among the Sudeten Germans for the purpose of protecting or improving the material welfare of their members were authorized, but organizations whose primary purpose was political activity and whose membership was restricted to transferees only were not permitted. It was not foreseen that the problems connected with the absorption of transferees into the German community would disturb good relations between Czechoslovakia and the American zone of occupation of Germany.↩