868.48/3–1045: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 11—3:57 a.m.]
953. Swedish Foreign Office in informal conversation states that on February 28 an instruction was sent to Swedish Legation in Berlin with reference to German memorandum of February 3, whose translation was submitted in Legation’s 698, February 24, 10 a.m., setting forth substance of oral reply to be made by Swedish Legation to Wilhelmstrasse. We quote in translation text of this instruction:
“Referring to telegram 12 dated February 3, 1945, and memorandum 153B of same date regarding German Government cancellation of safe conduct for Swedish Red Cross vessels operating in Greek relief traffic, I beg request that Legation inform German authorities as follows:
Swedish Government intends permit Swedish vessels to continue Greek relief traffic as long as this is warranted for humanitarian reasons with regard to Greek civil population. For present it is not possible supply Greece with necessary quantities of foodstuffs by any other means than Swedish vessels.
One of German reasons for cancelling safe conduct for Swedish Greek relief vessels is that German authorities have learned that Greek Relief Commission’s activities were supposedly to cease on February 15th, 1945. In December last year different dates for cessation of operation of Greek Relief Commission were discussed at which time February 15 was mentioned. However, it was later realized that date on which Commission’s administrative and distributive duties should be turned over to Greek authorities could not be set as early as February 15. Therefore work of Commission will continue for time being. Even if Commission’s above-mentioned tasks will later be taken over by other authorities intention is that neutral commission will be maintained for carrying out control tasks which were originally its main duty (compared [apparent garble] [Page 200] German enclosed with letter Grafstrom–Richert86 dated December 27, 1944).
I recall that Fenris will arrive in western part of Crete occupied by Germans in a few days with foodstuffs which in usual manner will be distributed under auspices of Red Cross delegates.
It is our intention that points mentioned in second paragraph above shall be set forth as main argument. In our opinion question of date which commission will cease its activities is secondary.”
However, Swedish Legation Berlin on March 6 informed Foreign Office Stockholm that Wilhelmstrasse did not wish oral reply but demanded written statement. This was construed by Foreign Office here as indicating that Germans did not feel question was urgent one but rather for record.
Accordingly on March 8 Swedish Foreign Office telegrammed to its Legation in Berlin text of following memorandum in reply to German communication of February 3 (we quote in translation from German):
“In answer to note verbale of Foreign Office dated February 3, 1945—R. 19782 August 1–Swedish Royal Legation has honor transmit following message.
Royal Swedish Government has intention to maintain traffic of Swedish ships engaged in supply of foodstuffs to Greek civilian population as long as this relief action may be considered necessary from humanitarian point of view with respect to Greek civilian population. Transportation of food supplies necessary for Greece otherwise than with these Swedish ships is on other hand not possible for moment.
As far as question of maintenance of ‘Commission de Gestion’87 is concerned Swedish Legation begs to state that this Commission will probably on March 15th terminate its activities and will transfer its administrative and distributive duties to local authorities. Particular control functions for which Commission had originally been established will then be transferred under Swedish leadership to new neutral (Swedish or possibly Swedish Swiss) institution which will exercise its activities as long as Swedish ships participate in supplying Greek civilian population within limits of humanitarian relief action.”88
Foregoing documents have been given us on strictly informal basis.
Foreign Office adds that it received telegram on March 6 from its Legation in Athens that Greek Relief Commission would on March 15 cease its activities so far as administrative and distributive functions [Page 201] were concerned, handing these over to local Greek authorities. However, it was expected that control functions would continue in hands of new body largely composed of Swedes.
- Sven H. Grafström, Deputy Chief of the Political Division of the Swedish Foreign Office, and Arvid Richert, Swedish Minister in Germany.↩
- Commission de Gestion pour les Secours en Grece (Administrative Commission for Relief in Greece) under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Commission was also known as the Joint Relief Commission, the Swedish-Swiss Commission, and the Greek Relief Commission.↩
- In telegram 493, March 16, 1945, 1 p.m., to Stockholm, the Department referred to telegram 953 and stated: “Action of Swedes is gratifying to Department and interested agencies.” (868.48/3–1045)↩