The three American consular officials in Warsaw have been ordered by the German authorities to leave Nazi-occupied Poland, the State Department announced today, and tonight they were proceeding to Berlin to report to the American Embassy.
The State Department’s statement said:
“The German Government decided some time ago to evacuate the members of the diplomatic and consular establishments of all foreign governments in occupied Poland.
“In this connection, the members of the American Consulate-General in Warsaw were requested to leave Poland. The Department understands that they are leaving today for Berlin where they will report to the American Embassy.
“Representations were made to the German Government through the American Embassy in Berlin, stressing the difficulty of rendering assistance and protection to American citizens without consular representation in Warsaw.
“The German Government, however, took the position that all foreign diplomatic and consular offices must withdraw. Consequently, all matters in connection with American citizens now in Poland will be handled for the present through the American Embassy in Berlin. In the meantime, this Government reserved all of its rights in the matter.”
The American Government had three consuls in Warsaw. They are George J. Haering, chief consul; William R. Morton, recently transferred to the German-occupied area of Poland from Soviet Russia after visiting Lwow, and Carl Birkeland.
The State Department estimates that there are 532 American citizens in Poland, only a few of them in the Soviet area.
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