740.00119 EW/5–545: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 5—11:29 a.m.]
1700. Boheman informed Mallet and me that Schellenberg73 expressed belief Dönitz and Himmler and so-called German Government [Page 777] intended yesterday to go Bohemia. Schellenberg has further expressed wish to get in touch with SHAEF in order to take up question of total capitulation on all fronts and to explain why such capitulation has hitherto not been ordered (my 1699, May 5, 2 p.m.74) He advanced as a reason the presence of 6 to 8 million German civilians in the protectorate of Bohemia which Dönitz somehow would like to save. According to this account Dönitz evidently hopes these people will be permitted to filter westward through the Allied lines.
- General Schellenberg was at this time visiting Sweden to arrange for the capitulation of German troops in Norway. For documentation on this mission, see vol. v, pp. 56 ff.↩
- Not printed; this telegram informed the Department that General Schellenberg had arrived in Sweden armed with full powers from Admiral Dönitz to negotiate a surrender of German forces in Norway (740.00119 EW/5–545).↩