740.00119 Control (Germany)/10–1645
The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 26.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch no. 1075 dated October 8, 194525 transmitting a copy of the Report of a study made of the political and administrative problems of the Land North Wuerttemberg-Baden. Particular reference is made to the statement therein that only a start had been made in carrying out the plan of Military Government to set up a single German administration for the United States occupied areas of North Wuerttemberg and North Baden.
The Director of the Office of Military Government at Stuttgart has now reported that the integration of North Baden and North Wuerttemberg has been accomplished by eliminating the Landes Kommissariatbezirke at Mannheim and Karlsruhe as administrative districts and controlling all of U.S. Baden through branch offices located at Karlsruhe. In commenting on this, the Director of the Office of Military Government points out that in order to differentiate between Kommissariatbezirke and Regierungsbezirke, the Badanese had selected the name “Landesbezirk Baden” to designate their governmental unit. The Landesbezirk Baden is headed by a “Landesbezirkspräsident” subordinate to the “Ministerpräsident” of North Wuerttemberg-Baden. Heads of branch offices at Karlsruhe, subordinate [Page 987] to the Ministries for North Wuerttemberg-Baden set up in Stuttgart, have been designated “Directors”.
The Director of the Office of Military Government further reports that the organization of the German governmental structure has presented no problems at the Land level, but that the integration of the Baden Landesbezirk with Wuerttemberg is presenting complications because of the subordination of a pre-occupation Land Government in Baden to a Wuerttemberg-Baden Government. He mentions that the century-old boundaries—customs and language differences—are apparent in discussions between the branches of government, but has noted with satisfaction that a democratic approach to all problems is developing a wholesome, neighborly feeling. He reports that this has been accomplished without disturbing the functional activities of the past governmental structure except that no Land Ministries exist in Baden.
Time only will tell whether Baden-Wuerttemberg rivalries can be subordinated to our aim of unified Land administration. I shall not fail to keep the Department informed of progress made in solving this involved administrative problem.
by
- Not printed.↩