862B.49/9–1453: Telegram
No. 749
The Director of the Berlin Element,
HICOG (Lyon) to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for
Germany, at Bonn1
398. Re Department’s telegram 787 to Bonn, repeated Berlin 167.2 We have given careful study to reference telegram and while we appreciate advantages outlined in paragraph 4 which new distribution scheme would have, we nevertheless believe that plan has following disadvantages which must also be given consideration: [Page 1647]
- (a)
- Any plan which foresees distribution in West Berlin over indefinite period of large quantities of highly desirable commodities strictly to East Berliners and Soviet Zone residents is bound in long run to create discontent and bitterness among most [West?] Berlin’s needy.
- (b)
- Any program of indefinite duration runs danger of (1) tempting Communists to extend indefinitely measures undertaken to keep Easterners out of West Berlin and (2) so accustoming Easterners to receiving hand-outs that they will come to feel they are entitled to them with result that when program eventually ended bitterness rather than gratitude would prevail among East German population.
- (c)
- At present time East Berliners and Soviet Zone residents are spending between eight and ten million westmarks monthly in West Berlin. Free distribution of food, clothing and medicines would probably damage some individual West Berlin merchants.
Our own feeling is that if primary aims of future programs are to create dissension within East Germany and heighten defiance of regime by population, best method would be to bring food distribution to definite end October 3 and then later—perhaps just before Christmas—start entirely new program limited in duration accompanied by wide publicity. This might well force Communists to lift travel restrictions, harassments, etc. and then reimpose them which in our view would create for them more difficult situation than indefinite extension of present conditions. New Christmas program would also be better understood by West Berliners. Moreover limited-duration program at time such as Christmas would have advantage of getting great crowds of East Germans into movement which probably is one of most difficult situations which can confront Eastern authorities. In other words it would unite population in easily definable and dramatic aim against regime as was case in first food program.
If, however, it is felt that in spite of above, continuity is prime objective to be achieved, we feel that scheme of subsidizing a favorable exchange rate for East Berliners and Soviet Zone residents would have several advantages over plan described in reference telegram, provided of course that very considerable amount of cash would be available. Our idea would be to allow Easterners exchange eastmarks at preferential rate to buy certain specified objects such as shoes and medicine. This would have advantage of:
- (a)
- Bringing Easterners not simply to distribution point in West Berlin but actually into shops where they can see material benefits of free western economy.
- (b)
- Eliminating charity aspect of program and enabling Easterners to enjoy self-respect which comes from paying for purchases.
- (c)
- Lessening cases for complaint on part West Berlin unemployed and needy.
- (d)
- Avoiding damage to individual West Berlin retail businessmen.
- Transmitted to Washington in telegram 1023 from Bonn, Sept. 14.↩
- Document 747.↩