862B.49/7–1653
No. 731
Chancellor Adenauer to
President Eisenhower1
My Dear Mr. President: Your letter of July 102 has been conveyed to me through Ambassador Conant. Your generous offer to relieve the want of the population of the Soviet Zone through immediate and extensive deliveries of foodstuffs has touched me deeply. This spontaneous demonstration of humane readiness to help, which is in the best traditions of the American people, has caused great joy in all of Germany, and especially has given new hope and new courage to the people in the Soviet-occupied Zone of Germany. I should therefore like to express to you, not only in the name of the Federal Government but also in the name of the entire German people, my heartiest thanks.
It is with regret that I have learned that the Soviet Government has refused its cooperation of the relief action which you had planned. I would like to request that the delivery of foodstuffs not be withdrawn on account of this refusal. On the contrary, I wish to express the hope that the foodstuffs may be placed at the disposal of the Federal Government, which for its part will do everything to use them in the most effective way possible for the relief of the suffering of the population who have fallen into need as a result of the situation in the Soviet Zone.
Accept, [etc.]
- Transmitted to Washington in despatch 208 from Bonn, July 16.↩
- Document 729.↩