762B.00/12–2951
Memorandum of Conversation, by the United States High Commissioner for Germany (McCloy)1
Dr. Dibelius, in giving me his general reactions to the developments in East Germany since I had last talked with him, stressed the deep interest of the East in the possibility of free elections. He stated that there was a large element of support for the Niemoller, Heinemann, Schumacher points of view with the general feeling that Adenauer was not particularly energetic or purposeful in regard to the unification issue. I gathered from Dibelius’ own attitude that he was disposed to recommend the commencement of conversations with East Germans while at the same time we should not delay defense preparations in the West. He had talked with Semenov and Chuikov and Grotewohl and there was no doubt, he felt, about their anxiety to avoid German rearmament. He felt that they were in earnest in seeking to get a constitution along the lines of the old Weimar one. He felt that in the first general elections, no matter what form the precautions to insure free elections took, the Communists would have sufficient votes to get a representation in the government. He should say that they would get as high as 15 per cent in the first elections. Later elections would bring out the real mind of the people and this figure would be reduced from 5 to 7 per cent. He was quite sure that once reunited Germany would move to the West. Unification of Germany would be our victory. In summation, his argument was that we should start arrangements for unification and not wait for western integration before doing so.
As to general conditions he said that he felt they were noticeably improving in the East Zone. Reparations to the Russians were still going on. There was no lack of potatoes and whenever this lack was advertised the people recognized that it was only a cover for larger shipments of food to the East, but in spite of all this, material conditions were better. A very pronounced effort on the part of the Communists to deal more closely with intellectuals was evident. Faculties of the universities and schools were being particularly favored by advantages [Page 2024] paid to their families but generally he felt that there was somewhat better feeling toward the Russians than theretofore though no change which could be termed profound. There was no sense of opposition to the United States on any broad scale. The Bishop felt that it was more than ever important to bring along the development of West Berlin as greater efforts were being made in East Berlin to improve conditions there. Most of the building in East Berlin was, to be sure, government buildings, but he had the impression they were doing more in the way of general housing projects for the working people in East Berlin than we were doing in the West. He referred to some extensive apartment building along the Stalin Allee. Communist propaganda in Eastern Berlin was to the effect that though shops and stores were more numerous and better filled than in the Eastern section the important things such as the condition of the working people and particularly their housing was much advanced in the East as compared with the West.
I think the above reflects a rather widespread attitude in the Evangelical Church, particularly among these members of it who maintain close contact with the Eastern parishes. It is also typically Dibelius who always seeks to play one side off against the other. Yet, it cannot be wholly discounted as prejudiced. Niemoller is now headed for Moscow.
- Transmitted as an enclosure to a note from McCloy to Byroade, dated December 29, not printed.↩