Office of the Historian

840.48 Refugees/10–744: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)24

Washington, October 7, 1944.

3461. The Department has received information indicating that orders have been given to exterminate the Jews in three concentration camps, namely Osswiecin, Birkenau and Naeuss. Probably some 65,000 Jews are involved.

You are requested, through any channels available to you, to convey to the German Representative at Bern that the United States has this information and further understands that the death order has been personally authorized by Himmler,25 to be carried out by certain other officials. Direct responsibility for this proposed crime is thus fixed, and if it is carried out appropriate consequences will follow in accordance with the declared policy of the United States Government, and will attach to all participants.

Kindly report any developments in the situation as soon as they become known to you.

Hull
  1. Repeated in substance to Ankara as telegram No. 879 and to Lisbon as No. 270 on October 10: to Stockholm as telegram No. 2041 on October 11, and to Caserta as No. 238 on October 12.↩
  2. Heinrich Himmler, German Minister of the Interior, Leader of the SS and of the State Police.↩