Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume I

860c.01/6–2345: Telegram

No. 486
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Acting Secretary of State

plain
us urgent

Moscow, June 23, 1945.

2231. Polish Commission tonight agreed to following communiqué for release at twenty-four hours GMT June 23:

“On the question of the formation of a Provisional Polish Government of National Unity.

As has already been announced, the Peoples Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR, V[.] M[.] Molotov, the British Ambassador, Sir Archibald C. Kerr, and the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. W. A. Harriman, were empowered by the Crimea Conference of the three Allied powers to consult with members of the Provisional Polish Government and with other democratic leaders from within Poland and abroad concerning the reorganization of the Provisional Polish Government on a broader democratic basis with the inclusion of democratic leaders from Poland itself and of Poles from abroad, and concerning the formation of a Provisional Polish Government of National Unity.

Between June 17 and 21, a series of meetings has taken place between members of the Provisional Polish Government and other democratic leaders from Poland and abroad who have come to Moscow, regarding the reorganization of the Provisional Polish Government and the formation of a Provisional Polish Government of National Unity. As a result of these meetings between members of the Provisional Polish Government and the above-mentioned democratic leaders, complete agreement has been reached on the formation of a Provisional Polish Government of National Unity on the basis indicated above. The text of this agreement, which has been submitted to the Commission on the Polish question, reads as follows:

‘Representatives of the Provisional Government of the Polish Republic: President, M. Bolesław Bierut; Vice President, Mr. Władysław Kowalski; Premier, Mr. Edward Osóbka-Morawski; and Vice Premier, Mr. Władysław Gomułka.

Democratic leaders from Poland: Doctor Władysław Kiernik (who arrived in place of Mr. Wincenty Witos, who is indisposed), Dr. Henryk Kołodziejski, Professor Doctor Adam Krzyzanowski, Professor Stanislaw Kutrzeba and Mr. Zygmunt Zuławski.

Polish democratic leaders from abroad: Mr. Stanislaw Mikołajczyk, Mr. Antoni Kołodziej (who arrived in place of engineer Juliusz Zakowski) as well as Mr. Jan Stańczyk—arrived in Moscow on invitation of the Commission set up on the basis of the Crimea decision and consisting of Mr. Molotov, Peoples Commissar of Foreign Affairs of the USSR, Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, Ambassador of Great Britain and Mr. Averell Harriman, Ambassador of the United States of America.

The above-mentioned representatives of the Provisional Government of the Polish Republic as well as democratic leaders from Poland and from abroad, convinced that the feeling of national dignity and sovereignty of the Polish state require that Polish affairs be settled by Poles themselves, reached full understanding as regards the reorganization of the Provisional Government of the Polish Republic. This understanding is expressed in the following decisions unanimously adopted:

a. Invitation to Mr. Wincenty Witos from Poland and Mr. Stanisław Grabski from abroad to join the Presidium of the National Council of Poland.

b. Inclusion of Messrs. Wł. Kiernik and Wycech from Poland, as well as Messrs. Stanislaw Mikołajczyk, J. Stańczyk and M. Thugutt from abroad in the Government of National Unity.

c. Full composition of the Government of National Unity will be published in Warsaw within the next few days.¹

Simultaneously it was decided to invite to participate in state activities a number of Polish democratic leaders hitherto resident abroad, among them Mr. Popiel, chairman of the Christian Labor Party as well as Messrs. Kołodziej and Zakowski.

President Bierut undertook to notify the Commission consisting of V. M. Molotov, Sir Archibald Clark Kerr and Mr. W. A. Harriman of the above decisions.

Moscow[,] June 21, 1945.[’]

V. M. Molotov, Mr. W. A. Harriman, and Sir Archibald C. Kerr, acting on the authorization of the Crimea Conference as the Commission on the Polish question, have noted with satisfaction the agreement reached between the Provisional Polish Government and the other democratic leaders from Poland and abroad on the formation of a Provisional Polish Government of National Unity.”

1. See the sub attachment to document No. 483.