Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, General: Political and Economic Matters, Volume II

840.4016/10–345: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Caffery)

Washington, October 3, 1945—8 p.m.

4613. You are requested to bring the following urgently to attention Fonoff: Acute shortages of fuel, food and housing as well as political desirability of ousting of Reich Germans from Austria make it imperative that all Reich Germans, except those entitled to United Nation status because of persecution, be evacuated from Austria immediately.²⁹ Instructions have been issued³⁰ to CG USFET and CG US Forces in Austria to evacuate all Reich Germans from US zone by Nov 1, 1945. For purposes of determining action, Reich Germans are defined as all German officials, members of the Nazi Party who were German nationals prior to March 13, 1938,³¹ Germans who entered Austria after that date and other Germans directly connected with the Nazi exploitation of Austria, except those whom it may be desirable to hold for security or other reasons.

In order to carry out immediate evacuation, Dept requests that French Govt agree to receive in its zone in Germany those Germans who formerly resided there but who are now in US zone in Austria and to inform Political Adviser in Germany to this effect. Dept also points to desirability of similar instructions by French Govt to Commander in Austria as desirable step in solving supply difficulties and in fulfilling four power agreement on liberation of Austria from German domination.

Similar messages have been sent to London and Moscow and to US Commanders and Political Advisers in Germany and Austria.³²

Acheson

29. For further documentation regarding the interest of the United States in the evacuation of Germans from Austria, see telegram Secdel 13, September 8, 8 p.m., from the Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State in London; telegram 218, September 15, 4 p.m., from the United States Political Adviser for Austrian Affairs in Vienna; and memorandum by the Acting Chairman of the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee to the Secretary of State, dated September 28, vol. iii, pp. 582, 596, and 608, respectively.
30. For text of message from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Forces of Occupation in Austria, and Commanding General, U.S. Forces, European Theater, see ibid., p. 609.
31. An Austrian law of March 13, 1938, decreed that Austria was a province of the German Reich. See telegram 77, March 13, 1938, 11 p.m., from the Chargé in Austria, Foreign Relations, 1938, vol. i, p. 438. For documentation regarding the annexation of Austria by Germany in March 1938, see ibid., pp. 384 ff.
32. Telegrams 8761 to London, 2092 to Moscow, 596 to the United States Political Adviser for Germany in Berlin, and 159 to the United States Political Adviser on Austrian Affairs in Vienna.