Office of the Historian

840.48 Refugees/9–844: Telegram

The American Representative on the Advisory Council for Italy (Kirk) to the Secretary of State

Rome, September 8, 1944—4 p.m.
[Received September 9—10:02 a.m.]

317. Department 114, August 30, 7 p.m. and my 302, September 4, 5 p.m.94 According to note dated September 8 from the Holy See the approach to the German Government through Vatican channels by the Pope requesting the release of about 9000 refugees in Northern Italy to be transported to Southern Italy or elsewhere was made by the Nuncio in Berlin (Taylor’s 309)95 with the result that Germany claimed that the authority for these persons rested with the Italian Socialist Republic. The Vatican further indicated that they had no communication with that body. Full text follows by air.96

Kirk
  1. Neither printed.↩
  2. Reference is made to a communication of September 8 from Mr. Myron C. Taylor, President Roosevelt’s Personal Representative to Pope Pius XII, conveying information repeated herein.↩
  3. Not printed.↩