740.0011 European War 1939/20247: Telegram
The Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle) to the Secretary of State 43
[Received 5:30 p.m.]
1011. Source44 Legation’s 997, March 1145 just received following urgent message from Berlin contacts:
Attempt on Von Papen’s life in Ankara organized by Himmler46 with Hitler’s approval. Last May Himmler presented to Hitler a plan to “dispose” of Von Papen in manner appearing to be foreign [Page 826] attack on new German Reich. Group leader Wulff, assigned task by Himmler of preparing the assassination, proceeded to have agents win confidence of group of communistically inclined Serbs and Croats in occupied part of Yugoslavia. In this group several men found who believing they were acting “for Moscow” were “shipped” to Turkey with instructions to form contacts with Russian diplomatic and consular personnel there, purpose of German agents being to compromise the Russians when attempt at assassination would be later made. The Yugoslavs believed and probably even today believe sincerely they were acting under orders of Moscow. Von Papen himself perhaps does not yet know background of plot although he will be informed upon his arrival in Germany.
At present Nazi leadership in Berlin exerting maximum effort to make it appear plausible to Turks that Russians actually organized attempt on life of Von Papen, hoping thereby to lighten task of inducing Turkey to renounce completely Anglo-American-Russian friendship and permit passage German troops through Turkey.
Sole element of good fortune for Allies in the affair is that the would-be assassins had not succeeded in making contact with any important Russian diplomatic or consular officials who in fact had nothing whatsoever to do with the affair.
[Here follows paragraph on possible Bulgarian participation in spring offensive.]
Legation note: The informant reports that his Berlin contacts consider it urgent that the foregoing version of the attempt against Von Papen be conveyed to interested governments in time to prevent any possible irreparable damage to Allied relations with Turkey, though himself admitting a possibility that the incident may have failed of this purpose because the Russians actually knew nothing of it and the Turkish investigation has in consequence not been able to prove their implication. The reliability of the version is of course subject to verification. The Legation has found previous information from the source quoted to be reasonably reliable as a whole and in detail. The sensational report which on its face seems incredible may nevertheless also be given consideration along with reports which have followed the mysterious deaths of high ranking German officials and military officers.
- Except for first paragraph, repeated by the Department to the Chargé in the Soviet Union as telegram No. 122, March 14, 10 p.m., and to the Ambassador in Turkey as telegram No. 82, March 14, 10 p.m.↩
- A German acquaintance of the Second Secretary of Legation (Chase) who was in touch with the anti-Nazi movement in Germany; for purposes of security and convenience he was given the code name of “Mr. Schwaben”.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Heinrich Himmler, Reichsführer-SS and Chief of the German police with rank of State Secretary.↩