864.515/6–1945: Telegram
The Representative in Hungary (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 20—3:40 p.m.]
183. My telegram 167, June, 16.80 Minister of Foreign Affairs today handed me a memorandum dated June 18 of which Foreign Office translation follows. [See also mytel] 151, June 14.81
“The contents of the annotation number 5/M.K.–RES. 1945, transmitted through ACC to the United States Mission the 8th June may be once more resumed and [completed] by the personal experience of one officer of this Ministry who has recently returned from Germany.
A part of the Hungarian gold reserve, i.e. about 35000 kilograms of gold and other valuables are immured in the cellar of the church in Spital am Phyrn; this village is situated about 18 kilometers northeast of Liezen, a town in the valley of the River Enns, Austria. In this cellar are also stored foodstuffs and gasoline guarded by 25 military [Page 832] policemen of the Szalasi Regime. In the village of Selzchen, situated about 12 kilometers from the above mentioned Spital am Phyrn are stored some 100 automobiles guarded by a Hungarian fugitive battalion.
In the environs of Salzburg, troops of the United States Army seized, according to special reports of correspondents of the New York Times and the Reuter Agency,82 50 wagons loaded with gold stores, valuables, unique works of art, as well as Hungarian historic relics.
The Hungarian Govt beseeched the competent intervention of the United States Mission in order that the above mentioned valuables be taken under custody and delivered to the Hungarian Govt.
According to personal experience of an officer of this Ministry who arrived at Budapest the 15th June everywhere on German territory occupied by the United States Army lot of goods are seen which had been dragged away from Hungary by the Nazi, viz. a great part of Hungarian rolling material, of Hungary’s stock of cattle, of trucks and of factory armaments displaced by the Nazis.
The Hungarian Government has no doubt the Govt of the United States America will put the above mentioned valuables again at its disposal due to the benevolence of the United States America towards the democratic Hungary.
As there are many Fascists among those Hungarians who at the present time are sojourning in the occupation zone of the United States Army it seems to be necessary that the Hungarian Govt send out several committees in order to examine the persons and valuables on the place.”
- Not printed; it reported that Prime Minister Miklos had called at the United States Mission to say that he had further information regarding the presence of a portion of the Hungarian gold reserve and other valuables in American-occupied Austria (864.515/6–1645).↩
- Not printed; it asked the Department to see telegram Z–131, June 9, from the United States Military Representation on the Allied Control Commission to the War Department, in which Colonel Townsend reported that Lt. Gen. Levushkin had sent for him on June 8 and delivered on behalf of the Hungarian Prime Minister a note, dated June 8 and designated 5/M.K.res.–1945, regarding a portion of the Hungarian gold reserve alleged to be immured in Austria. The details presented in the Hungarian Prime Minister’s note were essentially those set forth below. (Budapest Legation File: 711.9 Gold Reserve)↩
- News agency.↩