740.00115 EW/8–1444: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
3806. American Interests—Germany. Request Swiss Government to inform the German Government that the Government of the United States desires to effect before Christmas an exchange of civilians without awaiting the lists contemplated in the proposals referred to in the Department’s 3169, September 14, noon.37 Specifically the United States Government proposes the exchange on a head-for-head basis of approximately 850 German nationals for approximately 850 United States and Latin-American civilians falling under categories A, B, C, D, and E of the Department’s 3082, September 6. The figure of 850 has been established as a convenient one in view of certain additional proposals which the United States Government expects to make the German Government in the near future. To extent feasible, priority should be accorded in order of categories named. However, [Page 1176] with reference to your 7163, October 28, 12 a.m.,38 it is especially desired to have included in this exchange under category “E” all of those persons formerly at Marianka who can be found and identified as Americans. The Swiss should make every effort to ascertain through whatever means possible the names and whereabouts of such persons. If there is no objection the Vatican representative who visited the Marianka camp should be asked to lend assistance.
The Swiss authorities should be urged to provide the German authorities urgently a list of all United States and other American nationals known to them falling in categories A, B, C, D, and E. List of United States nationals to be exchanged can be compiled from lists prepared by Swiss in accordance with Department’s 1509, May 1,39 regrouped into categories established by Department’s 3082. Correspondence regarding prior exchanges should provide ample material for lists of other American nationals.
As German Government has provided no lists of Germans to be considered for repatriation, United States Government will necessarily have to rely in compiling list of German nationals for embarkation upon wishes expressed to it by various interned and uninterned German nationals. Mexican Government is being invited, if state of Mexican-German negotiations warrants such action, to provide up to 100 Germans from Mexico for inclusion in exchange as part of the global quota of 850. If German Government wishes urgently to provide for consideration lists of Germans in whose repatriation it is interested, the United States Government will give those lists every possible consideration and assumes Mexican Government will do likewise.
Later communications will provide further details regarding proposed exchange.
Swiss should urgently obtain German reaction so that preliminary steps may be taken to prepare German repatriates for voyage. In the interest of these persons, it is hoped that report can be received by November 13 at the latest.