305 M. LÉON NOËL-Warsaw, August 31
The French Ambassador in Warsaw has supported his British
colleague's démarche; the Polish Government has promised to
reply by August 31 ........................................ 348
306 M. FRANÇOIS-PONCET-Rome, August 31
Count Ciano informs the French and British Ambassadors in
Rome of an offer by Signor Mussolini to invite Germany,
after agreement with France and Britain, to a conference to
be held on September 5, the object of which would be to ex-
amine the difficulties arising out of certain clauses in the
Treaty of Versailles ...................................... 349
307 M. LÉON NOËL-Warsaw, August 31
The Polish Government agrees to enter into direct conversa-
tions with the German Government. M. Lipski is invited to
ask for an audience at the Wilhelmstrasse in order to re-
establish contact ......................................... 349
308 M. GEORGES BONNET-Paris, August 31
The Minister for Foreign Affairs asks the British Government
to make the Polish acceptance known to Berlin as soon as they
have themselves been informed of it from Warsaw ........... 350
309 M. LÉON NOËL-Warsaw, August 31
Repeated frontier incidents occur in conjunction with acts
of terrorism in Poland .................................... 350
310 M. CHARLES-ROUX-Rome, August 31
The French Ambassador to the Holy See transmits to the French
Government a message from His Holiness Pius XII in favour
of peace .................................................. 351
311 M. LÉON NOËL-Warsaw, August 31
The Polish Government, in its reply to the British Government,
suggests the establishment of a provisional modus vivendi in
Danzig, makes reservations pending more complete information
as to the possibility of an international guarantee, and
expresses the hope that, should it be able to enter into
direct conversations with the Reich Government, it may still
count on the good offices of the British Government ....... 351
312 M. COULONDRE-Berlin, August 31
Evident embarrassment is noticeable in Berlin, where they
pretend to hope that the crisis will ultimately be solved by
a compromise similar to the Munich Agreement, and that active
military aid will be obtained from Russia ................. 352
313 M. COULONDRE-Berlin, August 31
At 1 p.m. M. Lipski, the Polish Ambassador in Berlin,
requested an audience of the Reich Minister for Foreign Af-
fairs. At 3 p.m. Herr von Weizsäcker asked him by telephone
if he proposed to appear in the capacity of a plenipotentiary
or as Ambassador. M. Lipski replied that he was acting as
Ambassador, whereupon Herr von Weizsäcker told him that he
would report to Herr von Ribbentrop. At 6.15 p.m. the Polish
Ambassador has still received no reply from the Reich Min-
ister for Foreign Affairs ................................. 353
314 M. COULONDRE-Berlin, August 31
M. Lipski is received by Herr von Ribbentrop at 7.45 p.m.,
and informs him of his Government's willingness to proceed
by direct conversations ................................... 353
315 M. COULONDRE-Berlin, August 31
The French Ambassador in Berlin summarises the events of
August 31. At 9 a.m. Sir Nevile Henderson warned M.
Coulondre that, according to information he had received,
the Germans will launch an attack against Poland if the
Polish Government has not before noon accepted the proposal
to send a plenipotentiary. The night before, at midnight,
Herr von Ribbentrop had read him the German plan for a set-
tlement announced in Herr Hitler's reply to Great Britain,
but had refused to hand him the text. M. Coulondre, after an
interview with M. Lipski, telephones to Paris to make en-
quiries about the Polish Government's reply, he learns that
it is in the affirmative; M. Lipski does, in fact, receive
such instructions from Warsaw; after asking for an audience
at 2 p.m., not before 7.45 p.m. is he allowed to hand his
communication to Herr von Ribbentrop ..................... 354
316 M. LÉON NOËL-Warsaw, August 31
The Poles are deprived of practically all their prerogatives
in Danzig. The Polish Press reports the acts of victimiza-
tion to which they are subjected, but without making capital
out of them ............................................... 356
317 M. COULONDRE-Berlin, August 31
At 9.15 and at 9.25 p.m. Herr von Weizsäcker hands the
British and French Ambassadors, for the guidance of their
Governments, a Press communiqué and a German plan for the
settlement of the German Polish problem, a plan which the
German Government considers the Poles to have rejected al-
though it was, in actual fact, never submitted to them ... 356
318 M. COULONDRE-Berlin, August 31
The French Ambassador in Berlin unmasks a maneuver intended
to make Poland appear hostile to any peaceful endeavour just
at the moment she has agreed to negotiate ................. 357
319 M. LÉON NOËL-Warsaw, August 31
Communications between Berlin and Warsaw have been interrup-
ted, so the only Polish information of the development of
the situation is that received through the German wireless,
which is trying to conceal the rupture of the negotiations.
Warsaw speculates as to whether this is a final attempt at
blackmail or an act preliminary to the opening of hostili-
ties ...................................................... 357
M. LÉON NÖEL, French Ambassador in Warsaw,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Warsaw, August 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 11 am.)
British Ambassador saw M. Beck during the night. The Polish
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Minister for Foreign Affairs welcomed his representations and promised to give him the Polish Government's reply at noon.
Upon receipt of your instructions I supported the steps taken by my colleague.
LÉON NÖEL.
M. FRANÇOIS-PONCET, French Ambassador in Rome,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Rome, August 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 15 p.m.)
CONFIRMATION of telephone message to M. Georges Bonnet at 12.50 p.m., August 31.
Count Ciano summoned me at 12.35 p.m. to the Palazzo Chigi. He made the following verbal communication to me:
Signor Mussolini offers, if France and England agree, to invite Germany to a conference which will take place on September 5 with the object of examining the clauses of the Treaty of Versailles which are the cause of the present trouble. The invitation to Germany will be sent to the latter only after France and Great Britain have given their assent.
Count Ciano made the same communication to the British Ambassador.
He requests an immediate reply for fear that hostilities may begin in the meantime.
FRANÇOIS-PONCET.
M. LÉON NÖEL, French Ambassador in Warsaw,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Warsaw, August 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 150 p.m.)
M. BECK has just telephoned to me so say that he is giving a favourable reply to the British Government and that he is willing to enter into direct negotiations with the Reich on the bases previously set forth by Lord Halifax. The Polish Government is ready, subject to reciprocity, to take the measures necessary to avoid any frontier incidents, and suggests that for the duration of the proposed negotiations a "simple" modus vivendi be applied to Danzig. Finally, the Polish
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Government expresses a wish to know what form of international guarantee the British Government had in mind, and trusts that Poland can also count for the future upon the good offices of Great Britain to facilitate the application of any agreement reached.
M. Beck informed me at the same time that, bearing in mind our suggestions, he is asking his ambassador to request an audience at the Wilhelmstrasse in order to resume contact. M. Lipski is instructed to state that the Polish Government gives a reply in the affirmative to the memorandum by which the British Government informed the Polish Government last night of the former's conversations with the Reich on the subject of the possibilities of a peaceful settlement of the dispute.
M. Beck insists that the reply which he has just made to the British Government be kept secret both in Paris and in London.
LÉON NÖEL.
M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
to M. CORBIN, French Ambassador in London.
Paris, August 31, 1939. 2 p.m.
You should inform the British Government that it appears to me of vital importance that, as soon as an affirmative reply, favouring in principle the conversations, is received from the Polish Government, the British Ambassador in Berlin should be instantly empowered to make it known to the Wilhelmstrasse.
GEORGES BONNET.
M. LÉON NÖEL, French Ambassador in Warsaw,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Warsaw, August 31, 1939. 2.10 p.m.
(Received at 10.45 p.m.)
INCIDENTS all along the frontiers continue to be reported. There were, however, no casualties yesterday.
Within Poland, action against German espionage and terrorist organizations is increasing. At Novy-Sacz, members of the German minority have been arrested for preparing an attempt on a railway bridge. A German, whose arrest at Katowice I reported yesterday, has confessed that provocative outrages against certain German property
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owners in Polish territory had been prepared about ten days ago in cooperation with the authorities of the National-Socialist Party of Silesia and upon instructions from the Gestapo.
The Press reports at the same time a series of aggressive acts committed on the Slovak frontier by a party about 100 strong wearing swastika badges.
LÉON NÖEL.
M. CHARLES-ROUX, French Ambassador to the Holy See,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Rome, August 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 2.15 p.m.)
THE following message from His Holiness has just been transmitted to me by the Cardinal Secretary of State, with the request that it be forwarded immediately to Your Excellency:
His Holiness is unwilling to abandon hope that the negotiations now proceeding may bring about the just and peaceful solution which the whole world has not ceased to pray for.
"In the Name of God, His Holiness therefore begs the Polish and German Governments to do everything within their power to avoid any incident and to abstain from taking any measure likely to aggravate the existing tension. He begs the French, British and Italian Governments to give their support to his request."
CHARLEs-Roux.
M. LÉON NÖEL, French Ambassador in Warsaw,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Warsaw, August 31. 1939.
(Received by telephone at 3.10 p.m.)
I HAvE just received the text of the reply from the Polish Government to the British Government, which was announced in my previous telegram. After reading it I am in a position to give details on the following points:
1. The "simple" modus vivendi for Danzig, alluded to by M. Beck, would aim solely at ensuring provisionally tolerable conditions of existence for the Poles within the Free City. It would leave aside the question of the Statute.
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2. The Polish Government declares that, as far as the international guarantee, in the relations between Poland and the Reich is concerned, it must reserve its opinion until the British Government has forwarded further explanations.
3. The Polish Government expresses the hope that, in the event of its entering into conversations with the Government of the Reich, it may continue to be assured of the good offices of the British Government.
LÉON NÖEL.
M. COULONDRE, French Ambassador in Berlin,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Berlin, August 31, 1939. 3.10 p.m.
(Received at 5.10 p.m.)
THE German Press is manifestly divided today between its care to keep the public on tenterhooks and its desire not to excite public opinion too much. The expectant attitude which has been maintained during the last few days by the newspapers is now visibly tinged with a certain embarrassment.
This attitude confirms what I have already reported on the subject of the uncertainty and vacillation which would seem to prevail in Government circles. The impression that the Reich has not decided to go any further is beginning to spread among the population.
The creation of a ministerial council for National Defence would appear to be intended to some extent to convey the impression that the Government is doing something, although many people notice that things are not progressing, despite the immense effort called for from the country.
In semi-official circles they entertain, or pretend to entertain, a double hope.
The first, which is steadily growing fainter, is to see the crisis move towards a compromise similar to that of Munich.
The second, which becomes more and more definite, aims at securing from Russia active assistance, the very promise of which would make the strategic situation of Poland appear untenable.
The Börsenzeitung this morning clearly threatens Poland and its allies with this Russo-German military collusion. On the German side, without doubt, no stone will be left unturned to achieve it, at least on
[352]
paper. It is probably one of the last trump cards kept in reserve by Herr von Ribbentrop.
COULONDRE.
M. COULONDRE, French Ambassador in Berlin,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Berlin, August 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 6.35 p.m.)
THE following is the substance of the instructions which my Polish colleague has received from his Government:
"The Polish Government have tonight received from the British Government a communication on the subject of the proposed direct conversations between the Polish and the German Governments. The Polish Government are favourably disposed towards this suggestion: they propose to communicate their answer immediately to the German Government."
Having been instructed to advise Herr von Ribbentrop of this communication, M. Lipski asked at 1 p.m. for an interview.
The State Secretary, Herr von Weizsäcker, telephoned to M. Lipski at 3 p.m. and asked him whether he was to deliver this message in his capacity as plenipotentiary or Ambassador. M. Lipski having replied that it was as Ambassador, the State Secretary told him that he would inform Herr von Ribbentrop accordingly, and asked whether he could get in touch with M. Lipski at his residence during the subsequent hours. The Polish Ambassador replied in the affirmative. He had received no reply from Herr von Ribbentrop up to the time at which I am sending this telegram (6.15 p.m.)
COULONDRE.
M. COULONDRE, French Ambassador in Berlin,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Berlin, August, 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 8 p.m.)
MY Polish colleague informs me that he has just been received by Herr von Ribbentrop and that he has handed him the communication prescribed.
COULONDRE.
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M. COuLONDRE, French Ambassador in Berlin,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Berlin, August 31, 1939.
(Received by courier on September 1, at 10 p.m.)
AT five minutes past nine this morning my British colleague telephoned me. "I know from a reliable source," he said, "that if the Polish Government has not accepted before noon the proposal to send a plenipotentiary, the German Government will consider that Poland has given up any intention to seek a peaceful solution of the dispute, and it will give the German troops the order to attack."
"First of all, we must get a clear idea of the situation," I replied, and I immediately went to see him.
Sir Nevile had been informed that, once before, on the evening of the 25th, war had all but broken out and that once again there was a risk of its breaking out today.
I knew that Sir Nevile's information about the 25th was accurate but it seemed to me that if the German Government had really decided in the absence of the Polish reply to attack at noon, it would have officially apprised the British Government, with which it was in contact. My British colleague told me then and there the sources, assuredly trustworthy, from which he had received his information.
Sir Nevile Henderson added that the night before, at midnight, he had gone to Herr von Ribbentrop to take him a British communication, intimating that Herr Hitler's reply had been transmitted to Warsaw. The German Foreign Minister had rapidly read through the detailed plan of settlement given in the German reply, but had refused to deliver the text of it to Sir Nevile, on the grounds that the period stipulated for a Polish plenipotentiary to be sent to Berlin had expired.
I decided to go immediately to the Polish Ambassador, who told me that he had been woken up at 2 a.m. by Sir Nevile, who had urged him strongly to go immediately to Herr von Ribbentrop to establish the required contact. M. Lipski had refused, because he was without instructions to that effect from his Government. He had, however, telephoned in the morning to Warsaw asking that some instructions be sent.
After examining the position, it seemed to us desirable that Poland while being careful not to appear to yield to a German ultimatum, should not expose herself to the reproach of having sought to avoid a
[354]
direct conversation, which she had accepted both in her reply to President Roosevelt's message, and in her exchanges of views with Paris and London.
M. Lipski accordingly decided to telephone once again to Warsaw, and I myself telephoned to Your Excellency the communication which I here repeat as a reminder:
"The British Ambassador has just informed me that, according to information which is not official, but which he considers reliable, the German Government is seriously displeased at the non-arrival of the Polish plenipotentiary, and he considers that the present situation cannot be prolonged beyond the end of the morning without involving the most serious consequences.
"I consider that this news should not induce us to depart from the dignified composure with which the exchange of views must be conducted.
"But it seems to me that it would certainly be to the interest of the Polish Government to inform Berlin without delay that the Polish Government accepts the direct negotiations which, moreover, have been suggested by the French and British Governments, and that, while reserving judgment on the German note, it is preparing to send to M. Lipski the necessary instructions to meet the Germans in the capacity of plenipotentiary.
"I would add that it would seem advisable for M. Lipski not to limit himself to receiving communication of the German claims, but himself to present a statement of the Polish point of view in order that the balance may be maintained.
"It would probably be well if, in order to gain time, you would telephone to Warsaw immediately to this effect."
At 12.10 p.m. Your Excellency was good enough to inform me by telephone that the Polish Government would in a few minutes give a reply which would be affirmative in principle.
At 2 p.m. M. Lipski did, in fact, receive notice from his Government that it favoured the establishment of contact and that it was preparing a reply on the subject. He immediately requested an interview with Herr von Ribbentrop. At 3 p.m. the State Secretary, Herr von Weizsäcker, asked him whether he was requesting this audience as a plenipotentiary or as an Ambassador. M. Lipski replied that it was as an Ambassador.
My Polish colleague has just informed me (7.45 p.m.) that he has just been received by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and that he in
[355]
formed the latter of the communication transmitted to him by his Government.
COULONDRE.
M. LÉON NÖEL, French Ambassador in Warsaw,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Warsaw, August 31, 1939. 9.55 p.m.
(Received on September 1 at 1 a.m.)
As a result of the events of the last few days in Danzig, the Poles find themselves temporarily stripped of all their prerogatives, except for their share in the administration of the port, which up to the moment has not been directly affected. They have lost control of the railways, Danzig Station has been occupied by the Nazis, and the rolling-stock has been requisitioned.
The safety of Polish citizens is no longer assured. The Gestapo has arrested two officials who had come to negotiate with the representatives of the Senate regarding Danzig's food supply and the passenger train services.
All these facts are reported by the Polish Press, which is cautious enough not to stress them. The Press has obviously received instructions to avoid focusing the attention of the public on the question. All these events appear under the general heading of German provocations with no more prominence than the frontier incidents and the acts of terrorism.
LÉON NÖEL.
M. CouLoNDRE, French Ambassador in Berlin,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Berlin, August 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 11.15 p.m.)
I WAS summoned at 9.25 p.m. to the State Secretary, who gave me the following communication.
"I am instructed by my Government to deliver to you for the information of the French Government the two documents herewith." [1]
[1] These documents contained the proposals which Herr von Ribbentrop read to Sir Nevile Henderson on the evening of August 30 (cf. No. 315) and which the German wireless broadcast at 9 p.m. on the 31st, stating that the Reich Government considered them as having been refused.
[356]
The first is a communiqué to the Press. The second is a German plan for the settlement of the question of Danzig and the Corridor and the German-Polish minorities problem."
On receiving these documents, I noted that they were given to me for information and stated that it would be on that basis that I should transmit them to my Government.
My British colleague had received the same communication at 9.15 p.m.
COULONDRE.
M. COULONDRE, French Ambassador in Berlin,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Berlin, August 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 11.30 p.m.)
WE are faced with a new manoeuvre to make Poland appear as if she is trying to evade any attempt at a peaceful settlement.
In order to frustrate this manoeuvre and to throw into relief the method used, it is enough to emphasize that, despite the tone of the German note, the conditions which it embodied and the ultimatum-like form in which it was couched, the Polish Government has not sought to avoid the conversation, but has on the contrary given its agreement in principle in the communication which M. Lipski made to Herr von Ribbentrop.
COULONDRE.
M. LÉON NÖEL, French Ambassador in Warsaw,
to M. GEORGES BONNET, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Warsaw, August 31, 1939.
(Received by telephone at 12.0 midnight)
A BULLETIN on Polish-German relations has just been broadcast by Germany. In this connection M. Beck has sent me, by Count Lubienski, the following message intended for Your Excellency:
At 1 p.m. today M. Lipski asked to be received by Herr von Ribbentrop. The conversation must have taken place at 6 p.m. M. Beck has no information about what had happened as communications between Berlin and Warsaw have been cut off. But the German radio bulletin is at pains to point out that negotiations have been broken off.
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M. Beck is anxious to emphasize all the efforts which the Polish Government has made to facilitate the work of conciliation which had been undertaken. In addition he reserves judgment on the German communication and wonders whether we are faced with a last attempt at blackmail or an act preliminary to the opening of hostilities.
I asked Count Lubienski to indicate to the Polish Foreign Minister that it was indeed important when confronted with a document the true character of which in any case requires to be made clear to reserve our final judgment on its significance.
LÉON NÖEL.