277. Editorial Note

On June 25, German Minister Franz Krapf suggested to the Department of State that if the Soviet Union failed to intervene to secure the release of the helicopter and military personnel, the United States might consider using Red Cross channels. (Telegram 3328 to Bonn, June 25; Department of State, Central Files, 762B.5411/6–2558) By the beginning of July, the Department of State had followed up on this suggestion by having the American Red Cross contact the East German Red Cross to facilitate delivery of packages and mail to the men. On July 12, Robert S. Wilson, the Director of Operations in Europe of the American Red Cross, began discussions with Emil Risch, Vice President of the East German Red Cross, concerning their release. Further negotiations on July 14 resulted in the signing of an agreement on July 17 arranging the exchange of the men and helicopter on July 19.

Records of Wilson’s conversations with Risch, copies of the agreement, and the texts of the receipts given for the nine men and the aircraft were transmitted in despatch 2 from Heidelberg, July 28. (Ibid., 762B.5411/7–2858) Additional documentation on the support given Wilson’s efforts by the Department of State and the U.S. Army is ibid., 762B.5411. For text of the July 17 agreement and the July 19 receipt for the men, see Dokumente, III, Band 4, 1958, Zweiter Drittelband, pages 1469-1472.