.-..., ... -. :' ~ - -

- . '

--------~~---

~--

t

I ·i I

!, ~·

JAN .2 6 1945 ·

Dear Mr. Eveleth:

This is to acknowledge and thank you for your letter

of January 17, 1945, advising us that you have received news

or the eafe arrival of Mr. Leopold Aschner in Geneva. We are

indeed glad that he has succeeded in reaching SWitzerland.

Mr. George s. Eveleth, Jr., International General Electric Co., 570 Lexington AYenue, New York 22, New York.

EBTowler:inp 1/26/45

Sincerely yours,

J. w. Pehle Executive Director

l! ·il·-~- .

~ ,;;: ~il_ e.· .:r ij· ·$,

-...t;~-1 .,:__'Y ,,~

~,

.'c .... -

GEoRGE SoEVELETH.-JR. VICE PRESIDENT

j

./

INTE~ATIONAL GENERAL e ELECTRIC

'COMPANY INCORPORATED.

~~·[:.r i--. .:1':..;,0

2-.j Dcu.rd .=:::<·~-:.:~ti_l_e_ ~;: ... i.'l;:;e. 6£' t-.·l,j f'~·c:3fdeilt .. .:tS·.~.!'~!":btGi.1 '-..1 J .:..J.C.

_.:..:: ... ~-!.· .. ..:~· .. 1_,&_·n: .... ":-;;lce :,. Lo:_::·;er · r :;~}i_..):.:..:. •• ':. !:xoC 1Jt i_ ~.r::: J-!.rec""':.er

L

Cl!!n ~tlon1 DM-n

0otober M, 1944.

Rofm>OilCt) fOl.Jl' 0003 t6 l>e;mrtl!l'.0n' of flotob&l' 14. &tu"il'c~ eolfl

tntOl'aat 1o to 1:\ICOl'tPl!l HIO!.lt1t.Y of pol"sono bohtnd tl11a ex!ll 01mc.nr

soher.»e. Jlo£U."(l hall no 1nt~Hnt 1n Asobn<l~ btVond•lts inwl"'nt 1n r.ey

other v1ott.r:1 ,-,£ Ollml)' ··o!'acOUtl<>u• fJnt\ol* (l0llll01'nhb t"C\{0llllt bn no

'•nrt of mos-:EJ"'~ d··!:te.nd1ne r.mnoa hno boot\ o)" wU.l bo OtlmM1!\lC."ltOd to

·anor, .!l'll' 'llii.l \nf,rr.~nt1tJu Y"11 llitW uncoval' be rwlo fiVtttleblo fol'

··rtvv.tr. v.eo. llnn."'d 1e hnoov@l' much lntur&atioo In thQUIH"'rr¥~~t&"-'un,..~;;;ll;,;;v"'e'~'l-~----------------

1 L'l,~ of t.l:le ntm.•·j M6. \U"Ct'll'.\tl;r l'lwt>..!t.d J.'l}ne>rtu f)f t!ll d4volopmonto.

This is \YRB llern Cable No. 237. '1.

•I .jf

i'l:[l

{.

DECLASSIFIED State Dept. Letter, 1·11·72

By R. Ii Parks Date..sfe.2 7 1972 ·

CAIILE TO Ml!USThli !IARY::.:SON AT BERN AND MCCLLLLAND

Reference your 6853 to Department ot October 14. Board• a sole -------~---~----intcl"est-is-1;o-as<lel"taill--cll~entjlty--of'-p1Brsomrbetrl.nd-th!ilr--and-E•illl:tla:r------------­

schemes. Board has no interest in Aaohner beyond its interest in a~ other victim of ene~ persecution. Under censorship regulation no part of" message demanding ranell!l has been or will be camlliUnicated to Minor, Hor will information you ~ uncover be made available for private use. Board is however much interested in the ultimate un­ravelling of tho story and urgen,ly awai~e reports of all develop.. mente.

THIS IS 11RB BRRN CABLB NO. 237.

9:30 a.m. october 24, 1944

Miss Q~ie' (for the Secty) Abrahamson, Cohn, DuBois, Friedman, Hodel; Lesse~ ~¥ a)l, !.!cCormack, Files

LS1esser:ar 10 2371.4

t3'

DEPA,RTMENT OF

STATE I J. INCOMING

TELEGRJfM \··

\ O.IVISION OF

COMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDS

•:- tJ -c ~ CJ

,1) :.1-;:: \1) ~) :..-L. (!) ("".i

E :J

!';' "' t.{.

·M -.-{ > ~ ~ ~-r) c...., r:-:. (,) 0 0 w .-

"" <J h )<; 0 Gi C!.l P..->".0

-------

/'

/' '(;J i'--L /C 0-b X:P communicatEd to anyone: othe:r than a Gove:rnme:nt Agmcy. WT'H 0)

Se:cre:tary of State:,

~Tashington.

)(

6853, OctobEr 141 noon. J

FOR \'IRB FF.OM MCCELLAND

Re:c 1 d 5:39p.m~

I discussEd Efforts rElEasE LEopold AschnEl' 1·1i th ~

Laz~r Grod (he:rin aftEr known as G) rEprEsEntativE in

Zurich of Hungarian Tungsram Company only pErson fully

acqu~n~Ed with stEps undErtakEn to date:. DEpartmEnt's

3381, SEptEmbEr 30 •. _

AlfrEd SchaEfEr, GEm:rill ManagEr SchwEizErische:

Bank GEBEllschaft Zurich is not dirEctly involVEd rEquEst

to approach him rEgarding opEning otlt-: million SHies .

franc crEdit·having bEEn sEnt to Grod. SchaEfEr has

just rECEntly bE~En-tltnt-atTvE:ly-'contactE:O: PY frTEifdci5f1~

Grod andknows only barE outlinEs of.casEo

Matte:rs.havE dEVElopEd as follows; j·

On SEptEmbEr 14 Grod rECEiVEd wirE from \'l'aldEr,.

assistant IDf\nage:r

Grod _could put·up

DECLASSIFIED State Dopt. Letter, 1·11·72

By R. H. Parks Data SEP 2 7 l972

··~ .. -.·· .. ··~ .

-2- #68531 OctobEr 14, noon 1 from BErn

]_)OS~blE_s_EcurE__AschnEr 1 s rElEasE.. WhEthEr this sum -· ----- ·--:--'-------=--------­

includEd othc:r mEmbErs of AschnEr' s family ( \·r:!-fE1 son, j

c1au[';htEr-in-lmV' ftnd grftndobild) \vas not clEe.r~ UollcEr

gavE no dEtails whatEvEr concErning channEls through

1:rhicn this rEscuE was to bE EffECtEd or to l·rhom monEy

Has EVEntually to bE paid • .. ~ \

VEry much upsEt by this rEquEst and undErstandably

anxiou~ ~0 all possiblE savE AEschnEr G stnrtEc1 try:l.ne;

to raisE monEy mEanwhilE in Effort gain timE rEquEsting

additional information trom WaldEr as to conditions

numbEr of pErsons involvEd Et CEtEra~ G cablEd Stockholm

--------------------~a=n=d ArgEntinE_b~anchEs of Tungsram soliciting financial

contributions~ Stockholm rEpliEd thEy could raisE 30%.-~!

ArgEntinE \virEd thEir authoritiEs had dEniEc1 pEriuission

transfEr funds to SwitzErland. ,.

British apparEntly intErcEptEd G' s ArgEntinE cablEs

and had thEir Zurich Consul cross-quEstion him closEly~ - -----·-~ ~ ------

'!i,

/ G dEclarEd hE was ma:j.nly trying to gain timE and -sE:curE-:-~---,---. ,'j

dEtails and proposal. HE was attEmpting to gathEr funds

in ordEr strEngthEn his hand and EnablE him continuE

nEgotiations but that as mattErs stood hE had no intEntion

paying anything out without additional information

from BudapEst or discussing mattEr with our LEgation~,

On SEptEmbEr i

I I I !. -~ ..

.-·

-·~

~ .'<

~;-

-3- #68531 OctobEr 1~1 noon from BErn

On SEptEmbEr 27 WaldEr cablEd that unlE.ss G could

opEn crEdit it might bE difficult continuE protEcting

AschnEr~ G ans\,rErEd indicating it was impossi~JlF. for

him G;iVE dEfinitE answEr lvithout talking mattc:r OVEr

pErsonally \'lith ivaldEr ·whom hE in vi tEd to comE to

Sui tzErland.

WaldEr rEpliEd Early in OctobEr that a m~Eting

could_ only bE fruitful if G had nnrs in hand~

MEamvhilE nEliTS had rEaChEd G through usually

rEliablE channEis that AEschnEr had diEd of pnEuLwnia

J at concEntration camp of MauthausEn B/L in_Vin.Austria

\·/hErE hE had bEEn confinEd for somE months_;- This nnrs

rEmains unconfirmEd and G is disinclinEd to bEli~vE it.

l'lE arE chEcking it through all possiblE channEls; At

my suggEstion G cablEd W'aldEr on OctobEr ~12 that it

was impossiblE for him pursuE mattEr until quEstion

AEschnErl s rEportEd dEath vras clarifiEd. HE rEpEatE'u

-n:is -invitation --to-warde:r-tocome: ·to SwitzE:rlanC!.: sta t~ng·--, 1

that progrEss was bEing madE in collEcting func1s but

that amplifica!flion conditions of paymEnt· was ·impErativE.

In my pErsonal opinion this casE still offErs con­

sidErabfE margin for 11 stalling" but it is incUspEnsablE

/' that i~-;(*) on rEgarding vrhat GErmans arE involvEc1-b~ // procurEd.

Impmc1ing

__.

/

.'.......,.·'. . ~ .

-4- #6853, OctobEr 141 noon from BErn

ImpEnding Russian occupation of Hungary m~y yut

stop to wholE mattEr although AEschnErl s \'TifE 1 c1aughtEr­

in-law and grandchild arE still thought to bE in I

BudapEst \vhilE his son is. in HonvEd labor camp for

JE\vs at Erdovaros Hungary.

As prEcautionary mEasurE Swiss Entry visa is bEing

rEquEstEd for WaldEr. For momEnt thErEforE ~attEr is

in hand anc1 I SEE no rEason fo:r upsEtting Mr. I,iinor

of IntErnational GEnEral ElEctric with it.

Will kEEp you postEd.

--HARRISON-

(") AppiU'Ent omission

~ ---.-~.

FROM:

TO:

DATE:

·.,\

ORIGINAL ~TEXT OF TELEGRAM SENT

secretary of STate, Washington

American Lega on, Bern

September JO, 1944 /.

NUMBER: JJ8l tOilROl COP1 , The following 1s the subst~oe of a message received

from Amlegation Stockholmt

cWOTE The Swedish ~egat!,on in Budapest .lll'ls, ,,

forwarded to the ~vedish Foreign Office the

following message, for Clark Minor President of

Intern!ltionaJ. General Electric Company New York•

President 1linor or any of his deputies are re-

que

Lampen A. G. (Hungary) to place as a loan for the

liberation of Leop,old Aschner (held in Germany)

the amount of one million SWiss francs. The

funds are to be placed atthe disposal of GenerB.l

Manager Alfred Sohafel' of the Schweizerische Bank

Gesellsohaft Zurich who will receive instruoti~ns

from the Hungarian company as to the, identity ot~

the. ultimate pa;ee. It is stated fhat these funds

are urgently needed tf! lJI~V.~ A!3~~~.J-"j' s life. UNQ.UOTE

~~ This message is not being delivered to addressee. , .. - il !·. l·'i' ')"·'

Pleaue endeavor to ascertain,w~e,~~e~~J~~fer has any i: L'~}J· .-:0

instructions concerning this matter and, it so, what thew DECLASSlFIED

· State Dept. Letter, 1·11·72 are By R. H. Parks Date..s£U 7 1972

----------------------

2.

are and who they came.from. You s~ould, of course, exercise

the utmost discretion and should not indicate to Schafer

that the above message or its substance is known to this

Government. )("

This is WRB cable to Bern No. 188.

The foregoing cable is \tO Mlni'Bter Harrison for

McClelland from War Refugee Board.

HULL

-------- ---------------·----

,.- •)

'· _. .:· L··

_. ,: I

i-..

.:~

~· .,_ ,-:·

. ~-

c.::. :-... ~· ;.;:_, c

~\ / I /

I . !~ '!-

)

•he follovlae Ia the auhbace ot a message recelnd f:roa Amlea-tloa Sto~lll

QJJO!i'» 'the Svedlth lea&Uoa ill D114apeat haa foll'­val\\-.1 to the Swecllm :rorelp Office the followiq mea~~a&e tor Oladl: Mlaor Pnal4eftt ot latel'llatloaal Geaual Uootrlo Co111pu,r .New YOJ'Jr. Prealdoat JQ.aor OJ' ~ ol hh 4epuUea ue requated .,_ the VeM~e Jq.ek\J'ld.tat Swlilg1'111l I.tulpoa A. o. (~) te place as a loaa for tlw lllJeJo&Uoa of Leopell Aaobaer (held lD Gel'iWIIIJ") the emouat of ou .Ullea Svlu fmea •. 1'ha fura.cle &H to be pbctld et tho 4111poaal of GeJutnl Ma~aqer A1tre4 a~er of the SohwelBmache Baak Geoellaehatt· Zuriek ~ v11l .. eel.- laetructloaa fro111 the llwt&al'it~A oo~~paa,y •• to the idenUty of the ulthate pqee. It b stated that theae twlda al'e vgentl)' neeclerl to aave ,\sOluler• a Ute. UIQJJOTB

'l'llia me.sage ie 110t (npeat 110t) lleing 4ell'l&l'eil to albe••••· Please endeawr to aaoenata whether Soltafer baa mn:r latti'\UI\lna oouel'll-

-~~-_1ag__thh_oottel'__an4•__1Lg•--l~Da' .ll1'7_~ en! vbo· thq cue tnm. Yn ahould. of coune. exehlt~t the 'IUuat dlSCiftttoa allll Sliiiilil-aoT\npeat~- ·------.---- ----'----'----­aot) IDdle&te to 3a~•• that the l!illoYe aeanage or.ih au\atnue h knova to thla Govemment-. · · ·

'fliTS IS WRIJ GAill.E 'to BE!lll no: 188

~·----··

10:30 a. m. September 29, 1944

LBLIIIII'Itlllh 9-28-44 ~ $, 'L.

... ·- -~ . ...._

DECLASSIFIED State Dept.' Letter, 1-11·72'>

By R. lL Parka Date..s.Ee-2 7

i'

·'.I

---------------~GJ,'r-l€tN-··----"~--c--------~t----JT---t-----';-:~-----'=1---;---------~__,_.

:Ji(,CKHO.L.M 1969"' / /._·

The Cllble bfl-low tor Chen 1e i;RB 92.

Reference your ;3810 of .ieptambar 22, your 83 to v,itf.

Tl1e tneeSf16e 1s not (repeat not) being delivered to

Ccnrk IUnor. ~l~ase endeavor to ascertain throu~h

>,allenberg w1 th whom the delllP.nd or1g1no.ted and to whom

1 t is intended that the ·ranaom is to i o. 'L'he mesao.ge has

been repeated to ;IJ!IlegaUon Bern for Qiacreet 1nouirf ~t

SchB.fer. No intimation should, ot cou:rl!e, be given •zi th

respect to the clel1ver;r o:r the measage or the. probabili'tf

ot compliance.

'(;.lUi: H14V: KG 9/29/-44

HULL (GLW)

NO:U:

F~r security~rea.sons\he text or this message mut~_t: '-: bP. clo"ely ~-iJarried~ _. ',

DECLASSIFIED State Dept. Letter, 1·11·711 ..

By R. H. Parks DateS.fU 7 1972 .

--.

... ·, . --.

•:-

______ · }:

The meesqe le aot (npeat aot) 'bebg 4elbeft4 to Oluk Mtaor.

Pl ... • ea4eawr to a1aerta1a thNllg)l Vallellllel'c with wbaa. the 4thlaJI4

orllbate4 all4 to vholl h 1e llltQilell. that the 1'8.1'11011 te to CO• 'I'M

•••ea&e hae been npeatet to .bllee&tloa Ben tor eileen~ blqull'J" o'l

Scbatw. lfo laU~~aUoa Unl.4, ot 001&Ne, be &ll'ID with reap~ to

tbe lolbety ot the m•n&e or the probUllUT o'l oompliaace.

WS IS WBI 8roCIHOLH CAlLI XO • ....,.._.

10:30 a.m. September 29, 1944

·---- -··----------

DEULASSIF!ED State Dept. Letter, 1·11·78

By R. H; Parks Data SEp 2 '7 1972

. ·' ~-~· )•''-

~··. ;If

\ ;;;,. \~)'

•t\

"J.:a-;r sa p&ssed to ':JRJ~ f'or their inf'ormation onl;r and .12:Y3 is to be instructed th&t mess­a.::;e is :1ot re!}eat not to be c:elivered to Gl:o~r!: J.:inor. 11

/

-·~­··~· <,.·

.. .•uEPARTMENT

OF STATE

'./ ' iNCOMING· '\ ., DIVISION OF __

TELEGRAM . \ COMMUNICATIONS

BJn - 351 Distribution of rEe.c1ing only by e.rre.ngEmEnt. '

- · AND REC1DS . lqtockholm 0-J ·cc.J. je_R. , I"R J

.truE .1~ spEcial DatEd SEptEr,,bEr 22, l9t!d · PlOT :,;)

RE c ' d 1 o: 3·!, a. m . ( hv\

SEcr~tary of StatE,

Washington.

X 3810, SEptEmbEr 22, 10 ·' a.m.-

FOR \v,..,R REFUGEE BO.tiRD

ThE S\vEdish LEgation in BudapEst has for1-mrc1Ec1 to

thE S\'.'Edi sh ForEign OfficE thE following mEssagE for

I I --ClP.rk Minor PrEsidEnt of IntErnat~_:mal GEnEre.l Elc:c~:·ic

X Co,,;pany NE1r1 York. This is our nur::bEr 83, and i·s

rElatEq to \'lRB 49 (DEpartmEnt's 137'1, July 11, 8 p.i!1.)

and ~\'RB 78 (DEpartmEnt 1 s 1700, August 24, 7 p.m.) •-

PrEsidEnt i~inor or any-of-lii-::r-dEput±~s-arE---±>&!:J.U.E-S"i;-E-d- . I .

by thE VErEinigtE ElEktrizitat S:und'gluh LR.!JlPEn A.G. . \ t

(i.'i:ungary) to placE as a loan for thE: libEration of -~:: \ ;

LEopold Aschntr (hEld in GErmany) thE o.,;wunt of onE

I raillion S~1iss francs. ThE funds c.rE ··to bE placEc1. a·;; thE' .·. / ..

disposa;t of GEn~ral ManagEr AlfrEd SchafEr of thE

SchvrEi~ErischE 3ank GEsElls-chaft Zuri~h who \vLh l'EcEi VE

instructions from thE Hungarian com:t'l.at1y as to thE

ici.Enti ty of thE ul ti .·:ctE payEE.

DECLASSIFIED State Dept. Letter, 1-11-72

By R. H. Parks Date.1if.£..2 7

rt· is statEd th8.'G thEsE

func1s arE

'\ . . 6'. \, .. , ' ., •._-,,- •, ./' ,..,_. t ol

lnONTROl COPY .... i I

I i

. I t·

/

-2- #0810, SEptEmbEr 22, 10 a.m., from Stockholm •.

funds arE urgEntly nEEdEd to savE AsohnEr 1 s lifE~

WFS

JOENS ON

' ·. ~ f ': .

:. L::i: F ! !' ~~ f~ L';

/'

''lllf. ·· . .. [ .. _-·'

AUG 301944

J1hll will aelwnrle4ae I'H•lpt ot 70v let .. r ot Aucu•• 33, 1944.

It vt 1U111d· ''"'" ..,. fulttller ptftlaet w ...... Uoa la41oatba tbat,.. eq ~of aldUlOIIIl .... ,...._to NF. Aao!aw, we vlU ed'fl~e 7ft.,

../ HI'. O.Oqe s. EyebtJI,.J ...... IatuaaU.Oilal GtaeJ'al.Jleftrio ,..,.., &70 Xtubpa ,.,.._ at Oln ••·• lrev rem, Jt'b Toll!:.,

- -------------

·.,.

I . - ·. .

INTERNATIONAL \'";. . '

GENERAL ELECTRIC

COMPANY INCORPORATEO

OElfEn.A_L ELEOTR.IO Bl)rLD~G 51'0 LEXINGTON AVE;AT·st~T '_s;_r.:,~EW YORK

· •·::-:: :_· CJ-,_,:· :.: ··-·r:,- : !.·li ,,;. 'u!:_-..

i;-·:~;_.:·;~-c ~- ;

- - -------·--- - ---- --· ---- --~--- -- -.-:-r:~

. .;_ __ --.

- ·.··---:

!.

\ _£'

: ~ } .:..---- ~

QEPARTMENT I OUTGOING OF STATE

HC

Reference your No. 3028 ot August lO, 1944. For

your information, word hae been received here to the / etteot that Aoscnner, director general Tungmram

Budapest has been taken to Germany and that payment v

or ransom in Sweden or Switzerland 1s being demanded tor hie -release.

WRB:HMV:KQ-8/23/44:

MOE

HU.Ll. mnv

DECLASSIFIED State Dept, Letter, 1·11·72

By R. H. Parks Date~ 7 1972

.. , .

.. ·.·

-· -~---- _ CABI.E_TO JOHNSON, STOCKHOLM, l!'OR OLSEN FROM WAR REFUGEE BOARD

Reference your No. 3028 of August. 10, 1944· For your information,

word bas been received here to the effect thnt Aeschner, director general

Tunglll'alll Budapest bas been taken to Germany and that payment of ransom in

sweden or Switzerland ill being demanded for his release.

_ THIS IS WRD STOCKHOLM CABLl~ NO.

ls45 p.m. August 23, 1944

78

Miss Chauncey (for the Seo•y) Abrahamson, Cohn, DuBois, Friedman, Hodel, Laughlin, Lesser, Mann, Mannon, :Moeormaok, Files

6A. ~ 1/ FHodel:jth 8/21/41,

:.;,.-- !<"OREHiN FUNDS ·coNTR·OI

~~~ .. ~ !.ik4.f....... 11 u 1t~f .. ii!<><>~i.. .. ioidir: i · (2) ............................ ..

(3) ............................ .. (Room) (Bldg,)

From: ...... ;:;~.: •• ~·.·~:~~~~ •. , ..... '............ r.~o 12 '44

.}!.'!! ... -~Wi. (Room) (Bldg.)

..•• ,~

•··· --' )

•'

__ r

.. -..

' '

.. ,

.\

om private com~~~~~a­!ions; and its extremely confidential character must he, presorved. . The inf .r· ·n~ttion must be confined on!\· f,, th-nc:.~ . filcr~r,. ·Nh;.c; .. · k~>w/ledge of it· i~ ·•·•cessarv to prose•·ulion f • · ', widely distr(·

~ ·ute~{ o,:·c-oPiP.~-_m.-1 ·~~ :iJ-r th..- ·;-~- ~e qngs or iO)fny

other public way without exvres; consent ;,, the .?~ctor of ensof'hip. . QVunu OOII'o nr ___ ... ,

DEPARTMENT OF

--~ .. --~.· •. ·

I. . INCOMING ·1*·· I '1A' DI-VISION OF . -· ---coMMUNICATIONS

STATE TELEGRAM - AND RECORDS

----- ----------

- -- ___ :.__· ---- BAS-32?. CONT;R.n.r n. n~~olm. )~ LJ ~I !31 1Yistl:'>:toutlon -of-t-rue:---~ Y _ ___ _ · rEading only by spe:cial DatEd Augu·~s+~-,l~O-,~li1g'-4G4~~1.7-------------~~-------

arrange:me:nt. ,......,_,'{) r;;~-~=r-- . r· '·/; J i

/

Re:c dr4j§i£;7;:-;:------.. '.e--l{j) ! For securi t·· . a ,-

. Se:cre:tary of St?-tE 1 1 text o:f 1. , " ' '» "<~< · ,. i:he b -<'"l~Si·F~~--f.,..,

Washington. L e cJosc;J· ..... _ · r · :.;,. .. t ,

_ __,_.o...~-~ .... ,..,.,~~~: . ._ •• ~ .• _J~;r; - ... • ~ i

30281 August 101 2 p.m. ;4-r - --Edstrom of ASEA has takEn up lEopold Aschne:'r mattEr

\'Ti th Swe:cllsh F'bte;ign OttioE,- as· .:·a rEsult of -l'1h1ah ·Aschne:r and

family havE be:e:n givEn Swe:dtsh visas. This is our

684 iVRB in rEply to iffiB 49 (De:partme:ntt s 1374 of July 12). y

Howe:ve:r 1 Fore:ign OffiCE is not hopEful

of prope:cts of e:vacuating the:se: pe:ople: to-fhle:d.E'n~- Of

almost 1000 for whom S\vEC::En has issuEd visas, .only ninE

have: thus far bEEn givEn transit 1,visas by Ge:rmans. ,­

SwEdish l1'6.re:1gn Offi·ce:- ·s-tatEs hoWE:v'qo that ·:tt is

prr:s'sing mat·te:r acti:vE.ly and stnongly.

JOHNSON

-

1::: Gl

'N ;r,;;'

----~

DECLASSIFIED State Dept. Letter, 1·11·72

--en .....;

By R. H. Parks Date S£p 2 7 1972

----~-

;l

.- ~

J X ~ ,.

- :n .,! ..: 0 ~

: .- c - :: .2.

AMLli'.GA'liONt

3- 'l'OCKHOLM. 1374X ;( rne WRB oablQ 49 b~low 1e

In vicaw of matte1• aonta1ned page tm~nty-six oi' Bohlri rsport,

ao an ®xp9rimental matter~ please dal1v9r the following

s~e from the War Fl.etugeG Board to l~v. Ednrom, 0ha1rme.n ot

Board of the A.SoE.~. 0 Vast~~e.Q: QUOTE Leopold Asohnor,

aging director ot the Un1 ted Inel>\ndeec~l!nt l..alllpfl and li:leotr1o

nny of Budap~st and hia w1flf' and oon are beine£ detdned in ·

~----•ar1c~onoentrat1on oamp by ""nga~ian authorities and are in imminent

danger of d~tports.tion t·o Poland and d4tath aolelJ because they are

Jewioh. Flea.se appeal to tho Utr1kee-dflpartllien' to take .A.ochneJ.

and hio i'QIIlily und~tr Bvadioh proteoUon. to 1Gaue t.o them such

documents as may enable th$m to secure retuge in Sweden, and t~

take ouch other aotion u may bo pouible to safeguard their liYeo. ~loao~ advise me iM~h Ive~ Oleon 0 American Legation. ot action .

taken. I will personally appreo1ate anrth1ng ,-or,a can do. Signed

Gerard Swope, Fr~s1d9nt, Gen~ral Electrlo Companr, New ~ork UN~OiE.

It Edstrom complies with torego1ng request, and hie appeal 1a

succeeeful, an QVenuo ll1a1 bt opened to eeoure Swed1ah:>protectlon

tor a larger numb~r ot peraone than Bohm 1ndlcatea are now reoe1•1na

DECLASSIFIED , IUOh State Dept. Letter, 1·11·72

By R H. Parks Date~ 7 1972

.... ,~~­

•

WRB: MMV: I!Q. '111/44

•

S/CR NOli:

JIUJ..L

(GW)

. 8£

) ..

/ /

fW???? '4 G,~BLE TG :JiiHt,TER J6!h'-IU:N AT S'l'Or:itHOL:;i f JF. ')LSEii

\

- ~- -- ~-- -'fn v~~nat,t1W- 'lc>ntai.ne·d-:-c-':",ge-t·;le;:lt;:r-•si.:t-~)f:_~l:ic)htil-l~iJOl~,,-llmriL ______________ _ as an ex[Jerimental m3ttar, 1)lea:>e deliver t;h, .foll<JHine message fro:a tn,; )ial' Fufugoa l.lourcl to Mr. l':detrom, Cha.ir·w•n ·:.f tne lloar<.i oi' tile A.S.E.A., Vaster:u;: 1.-;tlO'l'E Leopold Asohner, mllrlaging director of tho United Incandesceut T,a.Jlps nnd. Electr-ic Co. of Budapest lllld his ,dfe and son are being detained in a concentration Ciiillp bJ llungarhm authorities !i.lld are in imminent dlUlger 0f deportation to Poland and t.t death solely becal!uo tbey are Je>;i:;h. '.'lc~:;;e !";Jpeal to the Utrikes­depart:r.ent t:> taka Aschner uun rd:; family under ~>.veciiuh protection, to is:;ue to tne:n s1.mh documents a:; may enable them to secure refuge in f.:weden, and t_, take Sl.><;h ot.he:r action a.r; may be .-ossible to safeguard ·t,~1ei1, li·;;as. ?leaae i:ivvi.se rrw t~i.ro·t.\:;h !ver Jlsau, Juaoricur~ LcGat-it;n, oi actbn taken, I will per,;ona.l.ly apJ>reciate anythillg you c~n do. Signed 3erurti Sau}J&~ PrGE:.ident, Geno:.. .. al. ..:.le,.::trlc Co., Hew Ycrk. UN~lU:Yl'I!:.

l:i .. ~:dstrmu compliep with foJ:Cbo~1g r·eq:..o.sst, d.Zi.U !ii~~ ~1::1~eal lo successful, an avonv.a rJ:l.y be opene,i to :;ecure ;;:.,tWi~>h ;)r,)toc'~i-:m for a larg~r uu~ibcr .Jr ~_~eri;ous th{~n Uoh;n incLlcatef~ .c.re n;-'\1 rece5~ving t:.uch ,;rotectiun, .i'lease k;>e" Boar;; ao.vit,eu.

. 49 THIS Iii ;HiJ3 bi\JCI~OJM CABL~: l!O. _.

9:05 a.m. J~ 10, 1944

Miss Chauncey (for the Sec'y) Abrahamson, Cohn, DuBois, Friedman, Hodel, laughlin, Lesser, Mann, Stewart, Central Files, ·cable Control Files

. 'f. S~ ~-LSLeeserJala '1/8/44

DECLASSIFIED State Dept. Letter, 1-11-72

By R. H. Parks Date-sfp...2 7 1972

.~.r. J ~-~=~. Pe£tie­:'.xecut.ive 0irector ;~-ar Hei'u_-;'ee· Boat·d ~irasili!l~~ton 25, D.C.

July 10, 191,1,

W. R. 8.~_...__ __ Fi/i fig Authority To: Files A no. --~~---·-.,..,. .. _,.. "'---'-­No . .Ans. Req, c.:. . .::.. . .,·:.-;-;__,.......,.,..

lnitiar:...:..~-·-----· -·---'--{Jute _________ __

of: Jul}~;s i~~~}i~;:~~,;~~~~u'1,~ ~~t~~a~;~3~~::~h~t~;~ . . \~r-. id:stro_Ja -D.Y the De;Jr.irt:.ler.t of ~tat-G CJncerriin~ :·.-. Leo~ol•l f:..sc!·ihe~ a:tJ hi:; :'ftt.·,~~..iy.

i.e are ;no3t u)J:oJr8ciatlv2 of -·your effort3 on J~e-:­C1ulf ofi<r. hschrter, awl we t;1.ank:vou fdr the excelleti.ci'; E·.tt3n~_-(01~, ~~· .. iii:-.;:1~[!3 ~;iV~l~ ··t:1i31£itte_r. ·- · ·

~:e t.r 11:-.t ~-·c:.1 r.i.l1 :ce~~-; 14!::) ln.:'o!":-ned bf cm;r D.e1.r9lo.-:-~nents.

; \

JUL 8-1944 - --------- -----------------~------------1

l..ear llr. 1Vt1letha ·"'

l'urBuatlt t•:• your telephone COi.lVOl'Siltlon lfith ur. I.ei5GOr, th~ f::ollonin.;; ~aansr.g.;. ha.s been sent tr, the Department .c· State f,)r tran~>;nlselon to ltr. Edstrom, Chairman of the Hoard of the A.S.I.A., Vaaterasa

•L!!opolu Asc,·u1er, managing director of tile United Incande~>cent Lamps and Electric Co. of Budapest and his wife and eon are· being detained in a cancentra.tbu CWlP by lhmga.rian authorities and are in iillllrl.n<Snt danger r.:f deportation to Poland ami death nolely becauue tiiey are Jewish. Please appenl to the Utrikes-department to ta.~e A5_cnuer aml hia fauily under Suedlsh protection, to issue tJl them :mch docu11lt3nta us nuq enAble thom to aocurEJ l't>fug& in Sweden, snd __ to~talt~ euch o_ther actim1 as roy be possible to sufe{>"'lard their liv.o:.;. Plaaae udvio.;; me ·throu;,:h Iver Olsen, American Legation, of ::>ctiori taken. I will ?IH':wnally r.pf)reciatc anything you oan do• Signed Garard Swope, President, General Electric Co., New York. n

Very truly youra,

(. ~ r-}-- '11 6£« c ' J. w. Pehle

Executive Director

Mr._ G. s. Eveleth, Jr., International Goner&l Electric Co., 570 L~Jxington Avenue ~e• York, N. Y.

f.c,.f. LSLessercale 7/8/44

2S09 -~

G. S:-EVELETH,'J:R. W.R.B. 5?0 LEXINGTON AVENUE

N~W YO~l(, N. y} Filing. Authority To: Files An& '-··-·-----"7

II\ ' ;- . 1,/ 'k·i.·. vt:.r;.> •:.tt.-,'( · ;.;r. John •. -. Peble ~ , I. I'

A:!tiii~~ .2;xecutiv9·0ire0t0r --t]:.ct?.{::.l,._-.f._t-- t·>( t't\~f)..-:,a.r F.eftit~e-e H~a~ .. _d

1 · ·" l J - --It" >tat.e De~?.:::-ti,;;mt . g.('L,Ii.--tt.-<J;t,:-l-. •• £r .,_ --'

. ·Ls~lin-~:to~-., i.l.c. ~, 1i} -/ ~;r . . · f: lF l ·: ' I. ·(,:-., 1~. h! >•e•-.·-· .r. ~,';le: .- ,~~.Ji!~? .. ~>~·-j~t'?c~ 1

j 4? ·; i~:i.le the ~.:a~-te::.. .... -na~ ... nqt Col:.:-~ rithir: {i1c -nUr 1liaw- ·of_'-~,;our

orG.i-"1izati.c-!l I R.~ !l:~vertheleH-.J i','riti.n·t; t.hi:-; ~3_tt&r tn the i-loo:~-e that so:.1e ass_ista21ce- _!:-.ay _t:1ereby -1:0·- r{in_~ter~d · .. t€,3er·.ii~.~~:; i;'r_~enUs i1~ -nun6u-r~t.

l~~~~~~~i~:~~:~;~~~~~;~~~~~~;oi;!~::~:~~~~;~~~~~~,~~~~~~~~;:~~~i~y ;_-scl1ncii· ~-:lus~-. be well past ·sixty_-years of- age and are ·therefo:r:e i1a.rcily _..,..ota1~- enoUgh to ·wit:.1s"!:.an.J.-·t::c !'iGOlU'S o: .·.:. conc~~'1t:ro:tion .Ca::m; •

. ,ni t.e/~;~ci~~~:~:~:;~~" ~;~~;~~ '~~~~d::~~~i~8~~. t~t~;~~::.~:~~ ~~~~~~:o~of &.c::{hatfftq11C_e ___ :6f l_on.:_~ StEtn-:--J.tni..:~. li~ __ i:;, of· co1~t·se, ~!n- e_ner~y Y:Qt.fOriai. ,- . i·ut a~ I ~~nov; 11i:n-:-:t.·o- he c~n t-ionoraOle ;na!1 ___ Kith 1i.be:.;·~).. convj_ctionS

~: ~ ";~:~~ t~ ~ t~n~i~j-~r~;~~r~~ ~h t \Z' ',; ~~=n h~0 Ei;;?;,;~s r~1il~: R:c·e

T~v~ I:.~t8rrH.tti-:;n&.:L ~~!::nerr~ :::tlectric Go •• of y:i·d~C~ Wtl

::r~.~i-..:ent, ha·:; lonE luv-i connec~io;l:,_ i·:i tr1· ti•e ..;ni i.~'d Inc.: ... u.ie.:::cent

~g1:~~~;;:.rr~r:;:;\~~;~~:~i~~;)~:.~t~~::~~~~;[~:~lrit;~f1~ . · favor~b:.Le ~ ilo·:;leci.:~·e of .. :!.--. f·.schner, -;:hc;Jlt ~.;ou so dGSf-~e.

An~.~ 3te1··:~ t:l,_ t >:·ou i:Kty' !Je able tn t~;.:e-, or may be- able- to .;; :.~--;_::']'it:· .to ;.ts- :r 'i':l tb t.~H-: obJect Of as;;j_ stin.-:: .tnese neonle ;1ill Le :-;.rea. t.l~r J:::r:r.:::ci...s. te::.i •

. .- . .f {! ( 1.• I

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