Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Germany and Austria, Volume II

862.00B/3–1248: Telegram

The United States Political Adviser for Germany ( Murphy ) to the Secretary of State

secret

Berlin , March 12, 1948—5 p. m.

573. Despite prohibition western zones, German communism is continuing to promote Peoples Congress movement as one of its main current efforts to win popular support (remytel 474, March 2.¹ Despatches 107, and 228, dated January 23 and February 17²). Second National Peoples Congress, which will be held Berlin March 17–18, will evidently not only demand peoples referendum regarding German unity but will also elect so-called German Peoples Council (Volksrat) consisting 300–400 members, about 100 of which representing western zones, and headed by 29–man praesidium, which will claim to be the only real body representing German people.³

Though most Germans evidently remain rather apathetic towards Peoples Congress movement, its appeal to nationalist and PGO-unity sentiments may make it one of more successful Communist-Front movements to date. Some local observers fear that the Volksrat, which after Berlin Congress may also be constituted at lower local levels northeastern Germany, may develop into Communist-dominated action committees, which could later play role similar recent Czech developments. Another reason for continuing emphasis Peoples Congress movement may well be Soviet-Communist desire avoid having to hold elections due autumn 1948 Soviet zone, as it appears likely SED might do even less well than 1946.

Sent Department 573; repeated Moscow as 69, London as 71, and Paris as 67.

Murphy

1. Not printed; it reported that the Communist-organized Peoples Congress would hold its second national meeting in Berlin on March 17–18, coinciding with the celebration there of the one hundredth anniversary of the Berlin Revolution (862.00/3–248).
2. The despatches under reference are not printed.
3. The second Peoples Congress was held in Berlin on March 17–18 and resulted principally in the election of a Peoples Council (Volksrat), a Peoples Presidium, and a decision to plan for a national referendum on German national unity. Reports to the Department of State indicated that the Congress, the Council, and the Presidium showed even greater control by the Socialist Unity Party (Communist). For the texts of resolutions passed by the Congress, see Ruhm von Oppen, Documents on Germany, pp. 282–283. For the text of the statement made by the Secretary of State at the opening of his news conference on March 25 condemning the activities of the Peoples Congress, see Department of State Bulletin, April 4, 1948, p. 456.