Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Germany and Austria, Volume VII, Part 2

762A.00/1–1254: Telegram

No. 596
The Director of the Berlin Element, HICOG (Parkman) to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany, at Bonn¹

confidential

Berlin, January 12, 1954—1 p.m.

841. Re Department’s 2022 to Bonn repeated Moscow 453, London 3566, Paris 2455, Berlin 440 and Bonn’s 409 to Berlin repeated 2192 to Department, London 341, Paris 433, Moscow 127.²

US Commandant, after first informing British and French, last night talked privately with Dengin re Soviet tank memorial and Dr. Linse in manner outlined in Berlin’s 832 to Bonn repeated Department 735, Moscow 133, London 49, Paris 61.³

After General Timberman had referred to tank memorial and stated that return of Dr. Linse would assuage feelings of West Berliners sufficiently to allow him to permit memorial’s repair, Dengin replied that memorial, under which 10 Soviet heroes buried, had been defaced by hooligans who tomorrow, a Soviet aide interjected, equally capable taking similar action against “some US memorial”. US Commandant, he maintained, was competent to authorize repairs and once he had done so no one would dare take attitude contrary his instructions. Question of “so-called Linse” he said, had been answered fully by Chuikov. He, Dengin, saw no connection between tank and Linse.

General Timberman thereupon pointed out that both tank memorial and Dr. Linse had become symbols for populace US sector. Tank was symbol of tyrannical system which had caused Linse’s abduction. Linse would therefore have to be returned, and in good health, before rank could be repaired without arousing populace. If Linse returned, repairs on memorial could be begun next day, General Timberman stated.

Dengin again protested that he saw no connection between Linse and tank and said that Soviet military authorities had authorized him “to insist categorically on repair of tank”. US Commandant then stated that he understood Soviet reasons for wishing repair memorial and Dengin must understand US reasons for desiring Linse’s return. Return of Dr. Linse, he concluded, was only condition under which he could permit tank’s repair. Both Dengin and General Timberman then promised think matter over.

General Timberman had intended make above approach during break in meeting but at request of British and French postponed it until after meeting terminated in order avoid any possible effect on meeting itself. Both British and French subsequently informed of outcome of approach.⁴

Parkman

1. Repeated to London, Paris, Moscow, and Washington; the source text is the copy in Department of State files.
2. Telegrams 2022 and 409 approved the course of action proposed in telegram 832 (see footnote 3 below). (762A.00/1–1054 and 1–1154)
3. Telegram 832 reported that at a meeting on Jan. 9 Dengin had approached Timberman and asked if arrangements could be made to repair the Soviet tank memorial which was in the U.S. Sector. Timberman proposed to reply that if Linse was released public opinion would be sufficiently tempered to allow repair of the memorial. (762A.00/1–1054)
4. On Jan. 13 the Department of State replied that it entirely approved the manner in which Timberman had conducted the conversation with Dengin. (Telegram 456 to Berlin, 762A.00/1–1254)