Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Council of Foreign Ministers; Germany and Austria, Volume II

740.00119 Council/3–1547: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the President and the Acting Secretary of State

top secret
urgent

Moscow, March 15, 1947—midnight.

833. Delsec 1307. For the President and Acheson from Marshall. Sixth CFM of 15th March, Marshall presiding.

The German Deputies reported their agreement to establishment of an advisory and information committee but split evenly and violently on inclusion of Albania as member.²² The Soviets and French supporting, the British and US denying Albanian membership. The Soviet Deputy attempted to refer dispute to CFM for immediate decision but after lengthy discussion of procedure, the CFM directed the Deputies to proceed with their work and complete report on procedure for drafting German treaty by Thursday.²³

Bidault opened discussion on displaced persons expressing concern over high population density of Germany and natural adventurous desire of Germans to spread to adjacent less populous countries. This, he said, combined with numerous Germans still to find their way back to Germany, will result in density ratio three times that of France. To safeguard security of Europe and provide for political and economic stability of Germany, Bidault stated following must be done: (1) no further transfers of German population above those already agreed; (2) if agreeable to all states concerned, discontinuance of transfers agreed at Potsdam; (3) allow no permanent settlement of displaced persons in Germany, and speed up their repatriation or resettlement to areas outside Germany; (4) organization of German emigration and France was prepared to overcome her repugnance and accept Germans.²⁵

Bevin acknowledged receipt of reports from other delegates of prisoners of war held outside Germany, but deplored lack of indication of “rate of return” to Germany. As regards Allied DPs, he stressed agreed policy of no forced repatriation but use of encouragement to return to homes. He stated that these people cannot be supported in idleness by British and must be resettled, some in Germany, as quickly as possible.

Bevin said their own governments, for reasons unknown to him, are unwilling to admit DPs of former enemy countries. It is difficult, he continued, for me to understand why 110,000 Poles in the British zone, in spite of all legitimate pressure, refuse to return to Poland and assist in rehabilitation of their country. The financial burden on our country’s tax-payers, Bevin said, is becoming unbearable. As for Germans, the British zone is becoming daily more crowded with them, mostly from east of the Oder-Neisse. The time has come, Bevin said, to reconsider the entire population problem of Germany, in the light of existing agreements and burdens borne to date. In the meantime, the British zone can accept no more Germans from outside areas, except under previously agreed commitments. Bevin then proposed a special German committee, operating under ACC, to prepare quotas for equitable redistribution of Germans within the four zones, treating Germany as a whole for this purpose.

Vyshinsky, presenting Soviet view at Molotov’s request, expressed concern over Soviet and other Allied citizens in western zones who, through Fascist pressure and propaganda, were constrained from returning to their native lands.²⁶ Following this line, he attacked procedures in western zone, and recommended that a four-power commission be established to investigate conditions in DP’s camps in the western zone.

I said the problem of displaced persons had been fully debated in the UN Assembly, that our attitude was well known and had not changed and that to deal with the question in the CFM might complicate efforts of the International Refugee Organization, which had been created with our full support to solve this problem.²⁷

The Council then turned to the problem of the territorial reorganization of Germany. Vyshinsky accused the commanders of the western zones of attempting unilaterally to federalize Germany by altering boundaries for provinces and states in their zones.²⁸ I pointed out that Potsdam calls for the de-centralization of Germany and that the state boundaries we have fixed are only provisional. I suggested that further discussion of this question be included in our discussion of the provisional government for Germany.²⁹

The Council adjourned after deciding to meet again Monday to discuss the questions of economic principles and reparations.

[

Marshall

]

22. The Deputies for Germany had continued at Moscow the meetings which they had begun in London in January. At their 32nd Meeting, March 12, the Deputies had resumed their consideration of the question of the procedure for the preparation of a German Peace Treaty. At their 34th and 35th Meetings, March 14 and 15, the Deputies for Germany had discussed the French proposal for the establishment of a Committee of Consultation and Information, which had been set forth in document CFM(D) (47) (G) 68, February 21, 1947, p. 32. In accordance with a proposal by the Soviet Delegation, the Deputies had agreed to set up not a Committee of Consultation and Information but a Consultation and Information Meeting and agreement was also reached also with respect to some aspects of the procedure to be followed in such a “Meeting”. No agreement could be reached, however, with respect to the inclusion of Albania in such a “Meeting”.

23. British Foreign Secretary Bevin was particularly opposed to having the dispute referred to the Council for immediate decision. Bevin’s position was summarized in the following excerpt from the United States Delegation Record of this Council meeting:

    “Mr. Bevin said that there was one point about this matter that disturbed him. If at a meeting of the Deputies agreement could not be reached, and if one of the Deputies said that no further business could be done unless he could get his way before the Ministers, this would seem to be a very improper way to proceed. It had been the practice in the past to put disagreements in brackets and submit them to the Ministers.” (CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 60: USDel (47) (M) 6th Meeting)

25. For the text of Bidault’s statement summarized here, see Déclarations de Bidault, pp. 11–13; for a variant text, see Documents on International Affairs 1947–1948, pp. 422–424.
26. Vyshinsky’s statement was circulated to the Council as document CFM(47) (M) 17, March 15, not printed.
27. For the text of the Secretary’s statement on displaced persons, circulated to the Council as document CFM(47)(M) 19, March 15, 1947, see Department of State Bulletin, March 23, 1947, p. 526.
28. Vyshinsky’s statement on the territorial reorganization of Germany was circulated to the Council as document CFM(47) (M) 18, March 15, not printed.
29. The Secretary of State’s statement on territorial reorganization was circulated to the Council as document CFM(47) (M) 20, March 15; for the text of the statement, see Germany 1947–1949, pp. 152–153 or Department of State Bulletin, March 23, 1947, pp. 525–526.