Office of the Historian

35. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, April 7, 1970.

SUBJECT

  • Polish Complaints to Germans About Radio Free Europe

During the second session of the FRG-Polish talks in Warsaw, the Poles in a side meeting forcefully raised the question of the operations of Radio Free Europe.2 The Poles presented the Germans with a number of “extracts” from 1968–69 RFE broadcasts to Poland which allegedly attacked political figures in “harsh and scurrilous” terms. The Poles implied that continuation of such broadcasts would complicate Polish agreement to FRG requests for a softer Polish propaganda and cultural line. Subsequently, the FRG Foreign Office indicated that the Germans might make an approach to RFE. State then instructed RFE to be most responsive to any approach which might be made, in order to avert any FRG inclinations to raise basic questions about RFE operations in Germany.3 There have also been recent attacks on RFE operations from Romania.4

USIA Director Shakespeare has sent you a memo (Tab B)5 expressing concern that the Polish complaints might be the opening gun in a concerted campaign to liquidate RFE operations in Munich [Page 108] altogether. He reports that during his visit in Poland last summer, literally every Government official told him that RFE must go. Mr. Shakespeare believes that, if RFE is to become a bargaining counter in FRG-Polish deals, there should be full awareness that RFE is the most effective propaganda weapon in Eastern Europe. He thinks it should be carefully watched and the Germans made aware of our concern. A brief acknowledgment to Mr. Shakespeare is at Tab A6 if you wish to send one. (I think the Germans will before long turn the heat on RFE and RL.)

Recommendation

That you sign the memo at Tab A.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 379, Subject Files, Radio Free Europe & Radio Liberty, Vol. I. Secret. Sent for action. Concurred in by Frank Chapin.↩
  2. The attached telegram 2984 from Bonn, March 25, noted: “Finke-Ossiander, who was again on Duckwitzʼs delegation to the Polish talks, told EmbOff in course of conversation … that Dobrowolski (Polish MFA German Affairs) forcefully raised RFE issue in course of side-meeting with Finke…. Finke emphasized A) that FonOff had not yet decided whether or how to approach RFE regarding it; and B) that her own comments were therefore purely informal. Finke then did say, however, that on basis of glancing through material Dobrowolski had provided her, purely personal reaction was that, if genuine, it raised ‘question whether this sort of thing is still necessary in 1970, when problems in East-West relations are hardly the same as in the early Cold War years.’”↩
  3. The attached telegram 3300 from Bonn, March 25, reported: “Finke-Ossiander… indicated to EmbOff March 25 that she would recommend a FonOff approach to RFE over the scripts the Poles had complained about…. She expects that the approach will be made by Pommerening (FonOff Eastern Structural Questions) to RFE Munich Chief Walters.” The Embassy suggested that State “discuss this background situation with RFE, urging it to take a most responsive line toward any eventual FonOff presentation.”↩
  4. As reported in airgram A–113 from Bucharest, March 27. Attached but not printed.↩
  5. Attached but not printed.↩
  6. On April 13 Kissinger signed the attached memorandum to Shakespeare, which reads: “I appreciated your memo on Polish complaints about Radio Free Europe operations, and agree that this should be watched with care.” He added a handwritten note at the bottom: “I think the Germans are likely to put the heat on us before too long. HK”↩