361.1115/11–2448: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union
1411. Re proposed exchange Sov prisoners Germany for US citizens Sov Union, understanding here Emtel 2723 Nov 24 in past such exchanges only successfully effected by means direct approach high level.
Since success project depends large measure on degree Sov interest return Sov prisoners held by our mil authorities, Dept feels must leave to your discretion ultimate decision advisability making approach. Other factors to be considered of which you best judge are relative bona fides US citizens to be released thereby as well as relationship this matter to Sov attitude re Sov non-returnees in DP camps Germany and possible Sov propaganda reaction this connection.
Event you decide take up question Emb and Polad Berlin should coordinate info number and category Amer citizens and Sov citizens to be considered keeping Dept informed currently developments.1
[Page 943]Dept understands US citizens to be considered those having no claim Sov citizenship and held forced labor (Emtel 1318 July 14 Dept Inst 122 July 30) and agrees conclusions urdes 718 Oct 4 inadvisability publicizing matter while under examination two Govts.
- On January 7, 1949, the Deputy United States Military Governor for Germany, Maj. Gen. George P. Hays, replied to a letter from the chief of the United Nations Nationals Repatriation and Tracing Division of the Soviet Military Administration (Germany) wherein he had demanded the repatriation of certain imprisoned Soviet citizens. According to the American Political Adviser, Robert D. Murphy, in telegram 52 from Berlin on January 10, 1949, the reply contained the following paragraph: “I would remind the Soviet authorities that the American Embassy at Moscow has made repeated representations to the Foreign Office of the Soviet Union concerning the detention in the Soviet Union, under conditions of forced labor, of certain American citizens, but to date has not received any favorable response from the Foreign Office. Under these circumstances, I am not disposed to proceed further with consideration of the return of Soviet prisoners from the US zone until such time as the Soviet Foreign Office indicates to the American Embassy at Moscow that it is prepared to resume negotiations concerning the repatriation of American citizens under detention in the Soviet Union.” It was also reported that at this time there were approximately 30 Soviet citizens imprisoned in the United States zone. (361.1115/1–1049)↩