740.00119 Control (Germany)/5–2345: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 23—9:15 p.m.]
2911. From Murphy. My 2815, May 19, 11 p.m.91 General Rooks telephones that in accordance with directions he called on Dönitz and informed him that in agreement with the Soviet representatives, Dönitz and his associates in the so-called Acting Govt of the Reich would be placed under arrest immediately. This occurred at 10 this morning. The Germans were informed that they might return under guard to their quarters to pack their effects prior to departure. Admiral Von Friedeburg on returning to his quarters committed suicide by taking poison. The balance of the party departed from Flensburg this afternoon at 3 p.m. The arrest includes over 300 persons.
The persons in question will be detained under circumstances which wall facilitate official interrogation. Whereabouts will remain confidential for the present (for the Dept’s Top Secret information, a small hotel at Mondorf-les-Bains Luxembourg is temporarily being used for this purpose).
A number of British and American correspondents were invited to Flensburg and were given the story of the arrest immediately after occurrence. [Murphy.]
- Not printed.↩