860C.01/6–1945: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
1346. Following is a summary of a telegram dated June 15 from Osubka-Morawski and Rzymowski sent in clear from Warsaw addressed to the “United States Government”, which is not being answered:
Begin Summary: Since the Control Council for Germany has been established,27 it is now possible to settle problems such as repatriation of Polish citizens now in areas occupied by the Allies and the identification of Polish property unlawfully taken by Germans. For this, it is necessary that representatives of the Polish Provisional Government be present. These should enjoy complete freedom of movement, be enabled to deal with technical aspects, and should be engaged in finding out scattered Polish property. Procedure suggested is to send Military Mission of Polish Provisional Government to the Control Council as anticipated in Article 5 of the agreement on Control Machinery for Germany. Problem of Poland’s participation in Separations Committee also brought forward as vital and burning one for the Polish nation and directly bound with problem of reconstruction. It is also difficult to imagine effective working of Inter-Allied Commission for investigation of German crimes without participation of representatives of Government of Poland on territory of which Nazis committed most of their crimes. In putting forth these problems Polish Provisional Government is firmly convinced that a positive solution will be important contribution to work of reconstruction of [Page 352] countries experiencing German aggression and will assist in effecting permanent and friendly collaboration of Allied nations. End summary.
You may, in your discretion, in the course of conversations with Osubka-Morawski express surprise that he should feel called upon to send such a message just prior to the opening of the Polish Commission’s consultations and point out to him that since this Government does not recognize Polish Provisional Government, it cannot accept this message or its implication. You may also mention that request for privilege for representatives of Polish Provisional Government to roam around in Allied-occupied territory appears strange when even minimum of contact of American officers with liberated prisoners-of-war in Poland was not granted; that matter of reparations is being dealt with on tripartite basis in conformity with Crimea decision and that claims of receiving nations will be fully considered; and that the War Crime Commission which most of the United Nations have joined is bending and will continue to bend every effort to assist in bringing to justice and punishment every war criminal regardless of the location of his crimes and for the most effective attainment of this objective will welcome the participation of official representatives of the Polish Government of National Unity when it is constituted as envisaged in the Crimea Agreement.
- The Allied Control Council for Germany did not begin its operations until July 30, 1945. For documentation regarding the participation by the United States in the activities of the Council, see vol. iii, pp. 820 ff.↩