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  4. Document 924

Frankfurt USPolAd Files—500 Potsdam Conference

No. 924
The Adviser on German Economic Affairs ( Despres ) to the Assistant Secretary of State ( Clayton )1

Potsdam , July 24, 1945.

Memorandum to Mr. Clayton

Subject: Reparations.

In the event that an agreement is reached with the Russians whereby, in addition to having a free hand to carry out removals in their zone, they will be granted the right to remove a specified amount of capital equipment from the Ruhr or the Western Zones generally, there are certain safeguards regarding Allied property in the Eastern Zone upon which we should insist.

1.
Restitution. Identifiable property removed by the Germans from occupied countries should be returned to the governments of the owners. Facilities should be granted to the representatives of Allied Governments to permit the locating and identification of such property.
2.
Allied-owned property and investments in Germany. Allied property in Germany should not be removed without the consent of the owners’ government, and suitable provisions should be made for fair compensation.
E[mile] D[espres]
  1. Printed from a carbon copy on which there are uncertified typed initials.↩