Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General, Volume I

840.48 Refugees/9–2244: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

Washington, October 22, 1944—noon.

7998. Please refer to your telegram of September 11, and to Department’s telegram of September 14.²⁷ The following cable dated September 22 (Bern—No. 6276) has been received from McClelland:

“McClelland sends the following for the War Refugee Board. Reference is made herein to the Department’s September 14 cable No. 3185.²⁸

A note dated September 8 from Swiss Federal Political Department received by the British Legation at Bern and reporting substance of a conversation between an unnamed German Foreign Office official and Swiss Minister Feldscher at Berlin is the basis for the British Minister’s telegram under reference. An approach had been made to the Germans by Feldscher concerning emigration of same initial group of 2,000 Hungarian Jews from Hungary holding Palestine certificates for whom the Swiss Legation at Budapest issued a collective passport in late July. (Legation’s August 3 cable No. 4972 and August 5 cable No. 5043²⁹ mentioned this). The Germans replied, as British Minister’s telegram stated, that since the departure of these people for Palestine would disturb ‘German relations with Arabs’ they could not permit these people to go. However the German Foreign Office intimated to Feldscher ‘that if these Jews were going to American or British territory their departure would be viewed more favorably’. Consequently there is no question whatsoever of a concrete offer on the part of the German Government to permit such a group to depart if Allies agreed to accept them in either American or British territory but a vague statement only that ‘more favorable consideration’ would or might be given to such a proposal. In addition the Swiss note reports very definite request by Germans that for security reasons an exact list of Jews whose departure is contemplated should be furnished the Germans. Note also that this was only a verbal (not written) statement from German Foreign Office which as is well known exerts only very slight influence on decisions and plans of Gestapo and SS who are obviously, so far as the German Government is concerned, in control of the Jewish situation in Hungary.

The British Legation at Bern with whom I discussed this question is of the opinion that the Swiss Legation at Budapest should not under any circumstances be requested to deliver to the Germans lists of Hungarian Jews and that transit of any group or groups of Jews through German-controlled territory at this particular time would be, to say the least, an extremely hazardous undertaking. Unless real control by some such organ as ICEC could be assured permission for such transit if it were granted could scarcely be relied upon. It is the feeling of the British Legation here that the responsibility of recommending such a move could not be assumed by it.

In agreement with the point of view of the British I feel that it would be exceedingly dangerous to try to evacuate Hungarian Jews through territory controlled by the Germans which now that exit by way of Bulgaria and Rumania is barred, is the only existing route. With respect to the eventuality of the Germans attempting to hold the Allies responsible for not accepting an offer which it could hardly be said, after all, has been concretely made would on their part constitute pure casuistry.

As an alternative an offer might be made to the Germans via the Swiss to grant temporary haven in Allied territory to the group of 2,000 or more Hungarian Jews who did not have Palestine certificates and who did not plan to go to Palestine eventually as the Legation’s August 26 cable No. 5579 suggested. Of course from the Jewish point of view this would raise very knotty problem of selection in Hungary of a non-Palestine group. The possibility exists for the British to declare formally that this group would not go to Palestine and the Germans’ alleged objection to Palestine immigration would thus be offset. It could be stated, if the Germans insisted on knowing the ultimate destination, that division of this group among various overseas countries of immigration was being actively arranged. It might be possible, in order to ease the problem of settlement of such a group in the postwar, if this could be done without German suspicion being aroused, to select Hungarian Jews who desired to return to their country when the war is over. The idea of getting Jews out of Europe permanently is an obsession in certain Nazi circles and they will not tolerate the departure of those they feel may come back again.

An additional alternative of a more positive nature would be to make a concrete offer to admit a group of 1,000 or more Hungarian Jewish children into the United States, for instance, those whose parents have been deported in line with August 21 cable No. 2877 from the Department.³¹ Pending possibility to evacuate such children to the United States they could possibly be convoyed under ICRC control from Hungary for a temporary sojourn in Switzerland.”

The following reply has been sent to McClelland as No. 3378 of Sept. 30, 1944:

“Please refer to your No. 6276 of September 22. We concur in your conclusion that it probably would not be useful to pursue further the vague suggestion by the German Foreign Office that a request for the emigration from Hungary of Jews holding Palestine certificates might be more favorably considered if such Jews were going to American or British territory.

With regard to your suggestion that perhaps efforts could be made to facilitate the emigration of children and others who do not have Palestine certificates, your attention is called to the fact that the Legation in Bern already has broad authority to grant visas for entry into the United States.

Particular reference is made to Department’s No. 2877 of August 21, which made available approximately 4,000 American visas for children in Hungary; Department’s No. 2605 of July 28,³¹ which made special provisions in favor of persons to whom American immigration visas were issued or authorized after July 1, 1941; and Department’s No. 2918 of August 24, making special provisions in favor of close relatives of American citizens and alien residents in the United States. Please refer also to Department’s No. 3120 of September 9 which summarizes the arrangements made by this government for the emigration of refugees from Hungary to the United States and other countries.

You were requested to bring the foregoing arrangements to the attention of the Swiss Government and the International Red Cross, and through them, to the attention of the German and Hungarian authorities in an effort to effect the evacuation from Hungary of as many as possible of the refugees for whom arrangements have thus been made. We assume that you have done everything possible to execute these instructions, and if anything further can be done in this regard, we are sure that you will proceed to do so under the already existing authorizations. You will note that the authorizations above referred to are applicable to substantially more than the 2,000 refugees referred to in your No. 6276 of September 22.”

In view of McClelland’s cable, we do not intend to take any further action in connection with the vague intimation of the German Foreign Office that the emigration of some 2,000 Hungarian Jews holding Palestine certificates might be more favorably considered if their destination were to be American or British territory.

As you will note, however, we have indicated to McClelland that he should continue to do everything possible to effect the emigration of those Jews from Hungary into “non-Arab” territory for whom arrangements have already been made. Since these arrangements presumably have been communicated to the Germans some time ago, it is not known whether any success can be achieved. However, we will continue to make every effort to that end.

For your convenience and for the information of appropriate officials of the British Government and of the Intergovernmental Committee, following is a summary of arrangements already made by this government for the emigration of Jews from Hungary to the United States and other territory:

(1) On August 21 the Legation in Bern was authorized to issue visas under liberal conditions to approximately 4,000 children arriving in Switzerland from Hungary. This authorization was issued in such manner as to insure the validity of the visas until transportation to the United States is available. The Legation was instructed at the same time to advise the Swiss authorities of the authorization to issue visas, and to make all appropriate efforts to arrange for the release from Hungary of children eligible for such visas.

(2) On August 1 the Legation in Bern was authorized to issue, under certain conditions, new American immigration visas to any person in enemy-controlled areas who held an American visa or for whom a visa was authorized after July 1, 1941. The Legation was instructed to

(a) advise the Swiss authorities of this authorization

(b) request the Swiss Government to advise enemy governments of Switzerland’s willingness to permit the entry, with or without transit visas, of all persons to whom immigration visas were issued on or subsequent to July 1, 1941; and

(c) advise the Swiss authorities that such persons entering Switzerland would be adequately maintained until eligibility for new visas was determined, and that all persons found ineligible would promptly be evacuated from Switzerland.

The same authorization and instructions were sent to Sweden, Turkey, Spain and Portugal.

(3) On August 24 the Legation in Bern was directed to request Swiss authorities to advise enemy governments, particularly Germany and Hungary, that American Consular Officers in neutral countries had been authorized to issue immigration visas to

(a) the alien husband, wife, parent and unmarried minor children of an American citizen; and

(b) wife and unmarried minor children of an alien, resident in the United States

who has been in an area controlled by Germany or any of her allies, provided any such person(s) presents himself to an American Consular Officer and is found not to be disqualified for a visa. At the same time, the Legation in Bern was requested to secure the agreement of Switzerland to advise enemy governments of its willingness to permit the entry into Switzerland of persons falling within the categories indicated above, and to assure the Swiss officials that persons so admitted will be adequately maintained pending determination of eligibility for such visas, and those found unqualified will be evacuated promptly. Similar instructions were sent on the same date to Sweden, Turkey, Spain and Portugal.

(4) Assurances have been obtained from the governments of Ireland and various Latin American Republics that they will receive at least 2,000 children. In addition, Mexico has assured this government of its willingness to give emergency shelter to an unspecified number of refugees from enemy territory for the duration of the war. Among the neutrals, the governments of Spain and Sweden have agreed to admit children, numerous adults, and persons to whom American visas were issued or authorized after July 1, 1941. Spain alone has authorized 2,000 visas.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that adequate assurances have already been afforded the Germans to test the sincerity of the intimation that refugees might be permitted to leave Hungary if they go to the United States and not to Palestine. Accordingly, it seems more practicable to continue our efforts to effect evacuation under these existing authorizations than to pursue further the somewhat nebulous statement of the German Foreign Office referred to in your telegram of September 11.

It will be appreciated if you will express our views on this matter to the appropriate officials of the British Government and the Intergovernmental Committee.

Hull

27. Nos. 7473 and 7485, pp. 1151 and 1156, respectively.
28. Not printed; it concerned Palestine certificates.
29. Neither printed.
31. Not printed.
31. Not printed.