Germany and Berlin, 1969–1972


91. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 1 EUR E–GER W. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to London, Moscow, Paris, Rome, USNATO, and Berlin. Sonnenfeldt briefly summarized the telegram in a June 30 memorandum to Kissinger (Document 93).


92. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 1 EUR E–GER W. Secret; Priority; Noforn; Limdis. Repeated to London, Moscow, Paris, Warsaw, EC Brussels, Berlin, and USNATO. According to another copy, the telegram was drafted by Dean, cleared by Fessenden, and approved by Rush. (Department of State, EUR/CE Files: Lot 85 D 330, JDean—Telegrams, May–Jul ’70 (Drafted or Co-Drafted))


93. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 690, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. II. No classification marking. Sent for information. According to another copy, Downey drafted the memorandum. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 6, Chronological File, 1969–75, 1 June–8 July 1970) On July 9 Kissinger wrote on the memorandum: “Hal—See me re this.” For the outcome of this instruction, see Document 101.


94. Memorandum From the Political Counselor at the Embassy in Germany (Dean) to the Ambassador to Germany (Rush)

Source: National Archives, RG 84, Bonn Post Files: Lot 72 F 81, POL–East/West Relations. Secret. Rush initialed the memorandum, indicating that he had seen it. Dean presumably gave a copy to Fessenden, who then personally delivered it to Washington (see Document 95). Handwritten comments on that copy by Fessenden and Skoug are noted below. (National Archives, RG 59, EUR/CE Files: Lot 91 D 341, POL 39.1, 1970 Four Power Talks, July Commentary on Talks)


97. Memorandum From the Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Ellsworth) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 6, Chronological File, 1969–75, 1 June–8 July 1970. Secret; Nodis. A handwritten notation indicates that the memorandum was “handed to HAK by Ellsworth June/July 70.” Ellsworth probably gave the memorandum to Kissinger during his visit to Washington in early July. (Letter from Ellsworth to Nixon, July 16; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 259, Agency Files, NATO, Vol. VIII)


98. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL GER W–US. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Repeated to London, Paris, Moscow, and Berlin. According to another copy, the telegram was drafted by Dean and approved by Rush. (Department of State, EUR/CE Files: Lot 85 D 330, JDean—Telegrams, May–Jul 70 (Drafted or Co-Drafted))


99. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between Secretary of State Rogers and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 364, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File. No classification marking.


100. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 683, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Vol. V. Secret. Sent for information. The date of the memorandum is from an attached transmittal note from Kissinger to the President.


101. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 690, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. II. Secret. Sent for information. No drafting information appears on the memorandum. A stamped note indicates that the President saw it on July 22. Sonnenfeldt forwarded this memorandum to Kissinger on July 15. (Memorandum from Sonnenfeldt to Kissinger, July 15; ibid.) At Kissinger’s request (see Document 93), Sonnenfeldt had submitted a status report regarding the Berlin talks on July 10. Kissinger considered the report “excellent” and instructed Sonnenfeldt to turn it into a memorandum for the President. (Memorandum from Sonnenfeldt to Kissinger, July 10; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 690, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. II)


102. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 684, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Vol. VII. Top Secret; Eyes Only.


103. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 12–6 GER W. Secret; Limdis; Noforn. Repeated to Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Bremen, Munich, and Stuttgart. Sonnenfeldt summarized the telegram in an August 6 memorandum to Kissinger: “Yesterday, Barzel told our Embassy that he may decide to convene a special Bundestag session as soon as Scheel initials the treaty (he probably did not know that Scheel may initial as early as tomorrow). He was uncertain, tactically, whether to ‘go all the way’in attacking the government’s foreign policy. Barzel said that he would inform us and the Soviets when he had decided to make an effort to oust the coalition. He made clear, however, that a CDU government would not revert to cold war policies, but would continue a policy of reconciliation and negotiation.” (Ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 684, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Vol. VII)


104. Letter From German Chancellor Brandt to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 753, Presidential Correspondence File, Germany, Chancellor Willy Brandt, May–Dec 1970. Confidential. The German Embassy delivered the letter to the White House on August 9. The source text is the Department’s Language Services’ translation, which Eliot forwarded to Kissinger on August 11. The original text in German is ibid.; see Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1970, Vol. 2, pp. 1428–1429.


105. Letter From German Chancellor Brandt to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 753, Presidential Correspondence File, Germany, Chancellor Willy Brandt, May–Dec 1970. Confidential. The German Embassy delivered the letter to the White House on August 14. The source text is the Department’s Language Services’ translation, which Eliot forwarded to Kissinger on the same day. The original text in German, which the German Embassy delivered on August 27, is ibid. For the nearly identical version from Brandt to Heath, see Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1970, Vol. 2, pp. 1473–1475. See also Dokumente zur Deutschlandpolitik, 1969–1970, Nr. 184, pp. 737–738.


106. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 684, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Vol. VII. Secret. Sent for information. A stamped note on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it. According to another copy, Hyland drafted the memorandum on August 14. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 291, Memoranda to the President, 1969–74, July–Aug. 1970)


107. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 28 GER B. Confidential. Drafted by Skoug. The meeting was held in Hillenbrand’s office. Eitel also drafted a record of the meeting; see Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1970, Vol. 2, pp. 1492–1496. Following his meeting with Hillenbrand, Bahr met Secretary of State Rogers. A memorandum of conversation is in the National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL GER W–USSR; see also Dokumente zur Deutschlandpolitik, 1969– 1970, Nr. 187, pp. 745–746.


108. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 684, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Vol. VII. Secret; Nodis. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it. No drafting information appears on the memorandum. Sonnenfeldt forwarded it to Kissinger on August 17. (Ibid.) According to an attached routing slip, the President saw the memorandum on August 26. Pauls also drafted a memorandum of conversation; see Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1970, Vol. 2, pp. 1487–1491.


109. Memorandum From William Hyland of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Security Council, SRG Meetings Files, Box 96, Senior Review Group, 8–31–70, European Security. Secret. Sent for information.


110. Paper Prepared in the Department of State

Source: National Security Council, SRG Meetings File, Box 96, Senior Review Group, 8–31–70, European Security. Secret. Although no drafting information appears on the paper, it was prepared in EUR for the upcoming Senior Review Group meeting in response to a request from the NSC staff and without clearance from other agencies. (Memorandum from Hillenbrand and Spiers to Richardson, undated (ca. August 27); (National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 212, NSSM 92—Mutual and Bal. Force Reductions Between NATO and Warsaw Pact (MBFR))


111. Minutes of the Senior Review Group Meeting

Source: National Security Council, Minutes File, Box 121, SRG Minutes 1970 (Originals). Top Secret. No drafting information appears on the minutes. According to Kissinger’s Record of Schedule, the Senior Review Group met from 10:07 a.m. to noon to discuss NSSMs 83 and 84. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 438, Miscellany, 1968–76) Regarding NSSM 83 and NSSM 84, see Documents 49 and 36, respectively.


112. Letter From President Nixon to German Chancellor Brandt

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 753, Presidential Correspondence File, Germany, Chancellor Willy Brandt, May–Dec 1970. Secret. No drafting information appears on the letter. The text is based in part on a draft sent in a memorandum from Eliot to Kissinger on August 18; Lord then forwarded a revised version in a memorandum to Kissinger on August 27. (Both ibid.) In an August 29 covering memorandum to the President, Kissinger explained that the letter to Brandt “welcomes his ideas but noncommittally suggests that the four governments should continue to discuss the best schedule and timing. This leaves open both the level and dates of the talks for now, although clearly we will have to make our views known very soon.” (Ibid.) According to a typewritten note, the letter was “dispatched to Eliot via S/S for dispatch” on September 2. On September 3, the Department forwarded the text of the letter to the Embassy for immediate delivery. (Telegram 144441 to Bonn, September 3; ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 28 GER B) For a German translation of the letter, see Dokumente zur Deutschlandpolitik, 1969–1970, Nr. 194, pp. 767–768.


113. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 684, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Vol. VII. Secret. Sent for information. No drafting information appears on the memorandum. Sonnenfeldt forwarded a draft to Kissinger on August 13. (Ibid.) On August 25 Kissinger returned the draft to Sonnenfeldt with marginal instructions for substantive revision. Downey sent the final version to Kissinger on August 27. (Ibid.)


114. Telegram From the Mission in Berlin to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL USUSSR. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Repeated to Bonn and to Prague for Ambassador Rush.


115. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 684, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Vol. VII. Secret. The meeting was held in Kissinger’s office at the Western White House. According to a September 12 attached note from Lord to Kissinger, the memorandum was drafted by Lord. Kissinger approved the text, although Lord admitted: “There may be some shaky spots due to the simultaneous translation which was the basis of my notes.” Kissinger also approved Lord’s recommendation to give a copy to Sonnenfeldt but not to the Department of State. (Ibid.)


116. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 7 GER W. Secret; Limdis. Repeated to Berlin.


118. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, RG 59, EUR/CE Files: Lot 91 D 341, POL 39.1, 1970 Four Power Talks, Aug–Sep Preparations for Meetings. Secret. Drafted by H.J. Spiro (S/PC). The meeting was presumably held to brief the Secretary for his meeting with Scheel on September 23. An account of their discussion on the Moscow talks is in telegram 157941 to Bonn, September 25. (Ibid., Central Files 1970–73, POL GER W–US.


119. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 28 GER B. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to London, Moscow, Paris, Berlin, USNATO, and US Mission Brussels.