Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, European Security and the German Question, Volume III, Part 2

762A.00/6–551: Telegram

The United States High Commissioner for Germany (McCloy) to the Secretary of State ¹

secret

Frankfurt, June 5, 1951—8 p. m.

9829. Designees of High Commissioners met Godesberg June 4 as result of policy laid down at HICOM mtg Berlin May 31² that any Communist papers which propagandize for “plebiscite” or condemn alleged Allied interference be suspended for 90 days under Law 5.³

For reasons surmised to be connected with French elections, French designee claimed French element at HICOM mtg May 31 had not understood that result of action against individual Communist papers was expected to add up to ban of all such papers. Discussion showed French determined to avoid such total result at present time. However, report to HICOM was agreed on along fol lines: No general ban on Communist press as such. No schedule to ban Communist papers drawn up. But HICOM will prosecute energetically violations of AHC Law 5.

Designees considered issue for May 21 of Freies Volk, Duesseldorf, and its local editions Volks echo for Detmold and Volkstimme for Cologne. Designees agreed that articles in this issue violate Law 5 in that they are prejudicial to security and prestige of Allied forces. Was agreed that Brit designee shld take necessary action to suspend these papers and their printing plant for 90 days effective June 5.

Amer designee now considering recent issues Communist newspapers US zone in view HICOM policy and will probably seek to obtain tripartite agreement on further suspensions. Remaining Communist papers US Zone are Bremen, Tribune Der Demokratie (printed in Hamburg), Nuremberg, Nordbayerische Volkszeitung, and Munich, Suedbayerische Volkszeitung, both printed in same plant in Munich. Three Communist papers with [their own?] printing plants are left in Brit Zone, and two papers appear in French Zone, one of them printed in a plant at Mannheim, US Zone.

McCloy

1. Repeated to Bonn and Berlin.
2. On May 31 Chancellor Adenauer requested the Allied High Commission to ban all Communist papers in the Federal Republic and Western sectors of Berlin due to their illegal propaganda in support of the rearmament plebiscite. The High Commissioners discussed this request in the executive session following the 64th meeting of the Council and agreed to instruct the Land Commissioners to ban any newspaper which advertised the plebiscite or condemned the Allies for interfering. Bonn reported these events in telegram 900, June 1 (762A.00/6–151).
3. For the text of Allied High Commission Law No. 5, “Press, Radio, Information and Entertainment,” dated September 21, 1949, see Laws, Regulations, Directives and Decisions, vol. i, pp. 11–14.