Office of the Historian

740.0011 EW/5–245: Telegram

The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

Stockholm, May 2, 1945—2 a.m.
[Received May 2—1:19 a.m.]

1626. Legs 1610, April 30, 7 p.m.55 Sweden’s efforts to get German troops to evacuate into Sweden to be disarmed here and eventually to be turned over to the Allies are presently believed by high officials of the Swedish Foreign Office to have failed. One reason for this anticipated failure is said to be the leakage of information at San Francisco56 relative to Himmler’s offer of capitulation to the Western Allies. The leakage resulted in widespread radio publicity [Page 774] which discredited Himmler. Another given reason is the alleged death of Hitler with the succession of Dönitz57 and his stated determination to continue the war. Count Folke Bernadotte returned to Sweden today and advised me that he had delivered the President’s message (Legation’s 1575, April 27, 6 p.m.) and there had been no reply.

There have been countless rumors today to the effect that Dr. Best58 has turned the administration of Denmark over to the Danish authorities and that the German troops are evacuating the island of Zealand but neither Von Post59 who is in Denmark nor representatives of the Danish underground here have been able to confirm this information.

There were also rumors this morning that the German authorities in Norway had ordered the release of the prisoners at Grini. Late tonight word was received that this alleged order had been countermanded by reason of the developments in Germany.

In my opinion it is important that the contemplated staff talks (Legs 1606, April 30, 3 p.m.60) take place at the earliest practicable date.

Johnson
  1. Not printed. This telegram reported that conversations were taking place in Denmark between Swedish officials and German military authorities to secure the evacuation of German troops from Denmark and Norway (740.0011 EW/4–3045).↩
  2. In telegram 29, April 28, 7:50 p.m., from the Acting Secretary to the Secretary of State in San Francisco, not printed, Mr. Grew commented on a statement from San Francisco being carried in the press to the effect that “a high British source” had told the United Press that Himmler had recently sent word through the Swedish Government that Hitler may not live another 24 hours. “The press correspondents here are of course highly indignant that such sensational news should be released from a British source in the United States and when the full story is eventually known very bad feeling may be engendered. You may wish to explore this through Eden. After consulting the President I have informed the press that I have nothing to say at this time.” He also reported that neither the Department nor the White House was making any comments at all on the rumors of a surrender proposal (740.00119 EW/4–2845).↩
  3. Führer and Chancellor of the German Reich Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30. In a political testament drawn up the previous day he had named a successor government to be headed by Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz as Reich President and Minister of War. In radio broadcasts to the German people on May 1 these events were made public.↩
  4. Karl R. W. Best, Reich Plenipotentiary in Denmark.↩
  5. C. Eric von Post, Chief, Political Division, Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.↩
  6. Vol. v, p. 81.↩