Office of the Historian

840.4016/9–1145: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy), at Berlin

Washington, September 14, 1945—8 p.m.

477. Urtels 500 Sep 11 and 502 Sep 12, Zecho Govt agreed after reception of four-power note concerning Article 13 Potsdam decision to stop mass expulsion of German minorities. US informed that Zecho Govt is preparing a plan for orderly transfer and according [Page 1276] to Presidential decree of Aug 297 established a procedure for determining loyalty to Zecho state.

Dept now informed by Zecho note Aug 16 (Praha’s 226 Aug 1798 repeated to you as no. 10) that Zecho Govt prepared to send delegation to Berlin to discuss arrangements and submit detailed plans for transfer.

In view of Zecho response to four-power note and Presidential decree, Dept considers that plan suggested in urtel 502 be delayed until Zecho delegation has had opportunity to submit detailed proposals to Control Council.

You are requested to inform appropriate authorities that Zecho delegation is prepared to proceed with discussions and to present Zecho Govt plan.

Sent to Berlin as 477; repeated to Praha as 227.

Acheson
  1. For an English translation of the text of the Constitutional Decree of the President of the Republic of August 2, 1945, concerning the regulations governing the Czechoslovak citizenship of persons of German and Magyar nationality, see The Expulsion of the German Population from Czechoslovakia: A selection and translation from Dokumentation der Vertreibung der Deutschen aus Ost-Mittelewropa, Band iv, 1 and iv, 2 (Federal Ministry for Expellees, Refugees and War Victims, Bonn, 1960), p. 228.↩
  2. See footnote 95, p. 1275.↩