HC Deb 19 December 1945 vol 417 cc1469-71W
Mr. Stokes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what date His Majesty's Government received a copy of the statement issued from Marshal Zhukov's Central Office in Berlin, dated 9th October, with regard to expulsions from Central Europe into the Russian-occupied zone of Germany.

Mr. Noel-Baker

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to a statement reported to have been issued by the German Head of the Refugee Administration for the Soviet zone. News of this report was received by His Majesty's Government on 10th October. As a result of inquiries which were immediately made, it was learned on 12th October that there was no foundation for the report contained in this statement of an agreement for the evacuation of Germans from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary.

Mr. Stokes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will state the full terms covering the decision of the Three Powers for the continued expulsions of all Sudeten Germans and the form in which it was communicated to the Government of Czechoslovakia.

Mr. Noel-Baker

The terms of the Agreement reached on 20th November by the Allied Control Council in Berlin on the transfer of German populations cover not only Germans from Czechoslovakia, but also those from Austria, Hungary and all the areas administered by Poland as well. These terms were decided on not by three Powers, but by the four Powers who now control Germany. They were communicated to the Government of Czechoslovakia by the representatives of those four Powers in Prague.

The following is the text of the agreement:

Plan for the transfer of the German population to be moved from Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland into the four occupied zones of Germany.

  1. 1. The entire German population to be moved from Poland (3½ million persons) will be admitted to the Soviet and the British zones of occupation in Germany.
  2. 2. The entire German population to be moved from Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Hungary (3,150,000 persons) will be admitted to the American, French and the Soviet zones of occupation in Germany.
  3. 3. A tentative (preliminary) allocation of this population between zones will be as follows:
    1. (a). into the Soviet zone from Poland, 2 million persons; into the Soviet zone from Czechoslovakia, ¾ million persons.
    2. (b). into the British zone from Poland, 1£ million persons.
    3. (c). into the American zone from Czechoslovakia, if million persons; into the American zone from Hungary, ½ million persons.
    4. (d) into the French zone from Austria, 150,000 persons.
    1471 The French zone will start acceptances not earlier than 15th April, 1946. Meanwhile, after the exchange of German refugees, is completed according to the principle of one for one, the French zone will continue to accept approximately 250,000 refugees from the United States zone who were domiciled formerly in the French zone
  4. 4. It is considered possible immediately after the confirmation of this plan to proceed with the admittance of population from the above-mentioned countries in accordance with the following schedule:
    • During December, 1945, at the rate of 10 percent, of the total number.
    • During January and February, 1946, at the rate of 5 percent, of the total number.
    • During March, 1946, at the rate of 15 percent, of the total number.
    • During April, 1946, at the rate of 15 percent, of the total number.
    • During May, 1946, at the rate of 20 percent, of the total number.
    • During June, 1946, at the rate of 20 percent, of the total number.
    • During July, 1946, at the rate of 10 percent, of the total number.
    • Changes may be made on account of weather or transport, and after more information is received about the quantity of population transferred. The British zone will start acceptance of the above refugees into the British zone when the volume of the present exchange on the head-for-head basis permits. This date will be fixed by agreement between the chiefs of the Prisoners of War and Displaced Persons Divisions of the Soviet and British elements.
  5. 5. The execution of this plan must not interfere with the carrying out of the previously reached agreement as regards the exchange of the German refugees between the zones on a one for one basis.