Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

762A.00/4–1750: Telegram

The United States Commander, Berlin (Taylor) to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany, at Frankfort¹

secret
priority

Berlin, April 17, 1950—2 p. m.

672. From USCOB. Political advisers met with Reuter and Suhr evening April 15 in accordance All Berlin election plan outlined mytel 641 April 15 repeated Department 531² British PolAd had seen Suhr April 14 and he had meanwhile discussed project with three party leaders. Latter agreed on adoption of resolution by Assembly April 20 and left it up to Suhr to draft. Neumann, SPD chairman, at first favored timing resolution to hit Whitsun rally rather than May Day but was apparently won over without difficulty. Suhr did not have draft ready yet but promised submit it April 18. He and Reuter agreed on all points outlined reftel except they did not like idea of including in resolution statement limiting participation in new election to four political parties which took part in 1946 elections. They preferred no reference to subject. PolAds did not consider this an essential point and thought it could perhaps be included in commandants’ reply if desirable. Re procedure for handling resolution, Reuter and Suhr had no objection to addressing it to all four commandants via Kommandatura, but were adamant that to be effective and demonstrate western Commandants’ sincerity, latter must not reply to City Government only but must also make some approach to Kotikov. After considerable discussion in which it became evident Germans would not carry out plan unless satisfied on this point, PolAds suggested as compromise that when western commandants reply to City Government they will simultaneously send copy of it to Kotikov with simple cover letter informing him that this is their answer which will be made public following day. PolAds did not feel this would involve western commandants in protracted negotiations with Kotikov any more than original procedure would have and, in view German intransigence subject, considered it best solution obtainable. It may even offer certain additional propaganda advantages.

I fully concur with above and, since time is essential factor, will assume there is no objection to this minor change unless I hear to contrary by noon April 18 when Suhr is to submit Assembly resolution draft.³

Sent Frankfort 672; repeated Department 559.

Taylor

1. The source text was sent as 559 to the Department of State.
2. Not printed; it outlined preliminary planning for the city elections, agreed by the Political Advisers on April 11, with respect to timing, handling, the content of the City Assembly Resolution, and the content of the Commandants’ reply. (762.00/4–1250).
3. On April 20, the Berlin City Assembly adopted a resolution which requested the Commandants of the four sectors to approve the draft constitution of 1948 and permit free elections as soon as possible in the city on the basis of the 1946 electoral law. On the same day the Council of the High Commission, meeting in Berlin, approved the text of a letter to the City Assembly welcoming this initiative and agreeing that the elections should be held under quadripartite supervision “to ensure that no pressure is brought to bear on either persons or parties.” (Telegram 591, April 20, from Berlin, not printed, 762A.0221/4–2050) For the full texts of these two documents, see Berlin Senat, Berlin: Quellen und Dokumente 1945–1951, Hlbd. 2 (Berlin, Heinz Spitzing Verlag, 1964), pp. 1887–1890 or Documents on German Unity (Office of the U.S. High Commissioner for Germany, Frankfort, 1951), p. 223. The minutes of the 25th meeting of the Allied High Commission are in Bonn Embassy Files: Lot 311: Box 357: D(50) 1199b.