Plan for the Expulsion of the German population, 22 November 1945

At the conclusion of World War II more than fifteen million Germans were driven from their homes in central and eastern Europe. It has been estimated that 2,111,000 Germans died directly as a result of these mass expulsions. The primary reference on this subject is: Alfred M. de Zayas, “Nemesis at Potsdam: The Expulsion of the Germans from the East” (University of Nebraska Press) Lincoln and London; ISBN 0-8032-9907-9.

Codoh Editor

(Minute of C. O'Neill on Transfer Schedule – FO 371/46815 C 8607)

Registry Number C8607/95/18
FROM: Allied Control Authority
No. CORC/P (45) 149
Dated 14th Nov. 1945
Received in Registry 21st Nov. 1945

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

Note by the Secretariat submitting a copy of the above plan for consideration by the Co-ordinating Committee at their 21st Meeting on 16th November.

This makes the situation a good deal clearer, but unfortunately rather less satisfactory. It is clear that the 6.5 million Germans to be moved (leaving the 150,000 from Austria out of account) are those now in Polish-administered areas or in Czechoslovakia. Therefore the present plan does not take account of all the very large number of Germans who have already been expelled from Poland and the smaller number who have already been expelled from Czechoslovakia. These, who may amount altogether to some 5 or 6 million, are mostly now in the Soviet zone of Germany. It is scarcely to be hoped that the Russians will not at some stage demand that the Powers occupying the other zones should share with them the burden of settling these people. In that case the allocation of 1.5 million to the British zone might be doubled.

The fact that 3 million Germans are now said to be in Poland requiring transfer is an ironic commentary on the assurances of Marshal Stalin and the Polish Government, given four months ago at Potsdam, that at that time no more than 1.5 million Germans remained in the areas taken over by the Poles. If there are 3.5 million now, there must have been 6 or 7 million then.

This plan also lays down a schedule for movements of the 6.5 million out of Poland and Czechoslovakia. According to this, 30% of the total (i.e. about 2 million) will be moved before the end of next March, i.e. during the coming winter.

[signed] C. O'Neill
22nd November, 1945