. . , ._ _. . . . . ' .

, . .* :. . . .

. I

I.

h.xl r epor t ed tllat an o f f i c i z i ul t he Gemen Emkassy i;i Hcrthern

I t a L y vius then i n Lwltzer,and for t he purpcs? of t ransfer r ing i n t o

Swiss f r ancs sone marks telonging t c ffiembers of Kesselri%--'s . sk i f f .

LCoUrce s t z t e a t h a t Lesselrix and kahn ' ( fomer German ambassador t o

Ttciy) were ready t o q&.t ana even to ' f i g h t zgainst Hitler if the

k - i i i e s could o f f e r them 8 quid pro B. The Gernan c f f i c i a l s t a t e d

t h t i t Kesselring was moved, by the feeling t h a t his ' u t i r n a t e dest iny,

a s th ings aere so ing , WLS (I) t o xind up i n t he Alpine "redui t"

subordinate t o SS c f f i c i i i l s , o r (2) t o dit: in h filial r e s i s t ence or

be k i l l e d f o r not resist?-%.

s t i l l h a i power 2nd was llviikx t o us6 it by surrenderi ,x i n r e tu rn

for' scffie concession. I t was n o t clezr 'whether. it was 8 question of

concessions t o Kesselriw- anci h i s s t a f f o r t rcops _oerscnalLy, o r

whether it was & y x s t i o n of concession t c Gcraany gegera i . k t any

r a t e , Kesselring anci his s t a f f appenrea to 'want usable pOst-vJEtr funds.

03 2: February OSS dckn s ignel; ed tn&t source "?ONT@R!W~ (836)

I

a

As ioA= C I S he was i3 I t a l y , Kesselring

. .

S o k c e did not disclose IILILC c.f Gerinan Embassy tjfi'iciaL but

l:rould do SG had hinself s t e p <*ut of tile matter if ki.;.ies Rere in te res ted .

The o f f i c i a l ' w a s t o CGILE; t o s-curce ag&i,? seeking heip . t o sei1 t h e f r e e

marks h t , & gcod r a t e . Soilrce s t t i t ea t h a t he would s t r i e him along

i n order t o delay him for a f e w days.

~~~~

;, : *

OSS representht ive i n S w i t z e r l a ~ d ccmmented t h a t he did g o t rate ' '

source very highly but d i d have indepenient reasons t o , b e l i e v e that'

it was not impossible that Kesseiring and Rahn might be preparing f o r . ,

, ,

-2 -

,

\

,

somethi-y: l i k e t h i s . He tiddcd that he vas

through more d i rec t and reiialcle channels.

inves t iga thg the rumor

TI. 24 Febr,ary. OSS Ctsertt: wirea OSS Bern t h a t AFHQ *as

def in i t e ly interested i n get t ing posit ive and authentic infmmation

t o support .the aiAeged disposit ion of Kesseiring.

cropped up repeatedly, but t h e r e had never been proof of its accuracy.

Ti' Kesselring had wanted t o d i s p u t b l i zln emissary with an offisial

The s tory b d

message i t was thought t h a t he could find whys of doing so.

AFHQ would certainly not recommend t o t h e Combined Chiefs of Staff

any modification of unconditional surrender such as would be involved

Mesnwhiie I

~

i n prorriises, commitments or btrgainlng . Although Kesselring. as a

his rank, i t was

tionsl surrender

prisoner of ;var wouid undoubtedly be given the customary priviieges of

extremeiy dGubtfui th t any rndif icat ion of uncondi-

111. The London DLiiy Dt-s!>stch . .

Charles Clbrke, i t s correspondent

on 24 February carried t h e story from

i n Bcrn, t h a t Kesseiring had mde

sec re t ovcrtwes t o t h e Al i i e s , quotic-g a statement sal6 t c have been

made by a nember of Kesse l r ik ' s entourage reported a t t h e ' t i m e toehave

been i n Smitzcrland.

t o withdraw under Aided pressure leaving Northern I t a l i a n c i t i e s

intact and preventing t h e i r deztnucticn ly Nee-Fsscfste.

Kesseirfng was said to have askcd for H free re t r 'ent tcvord Ge- man

t e r r i t o r y v!here f ~ i s so ld ie rs ccculd be used t o maintain order. Hg'also

According t o Clarke's s t o r y , Kesselring offered

In return,

~

. . . i . , I I-

, , ..I

. . , ' I .. .

:

i n Bern 7 5 February hw6.y: l e f t . Vieruw c.2 o r &cut ii Febrwtlry.

Source f o r se-feral years hkd keen acqusintea with one Hcttel, described

BP one of t h e SS c h i e f s i n Vierma x h c knew v.zguely t h a t sctirct; find

i n d i r e c t ccn t sc t s with kmcr icans Ln Switzeriand.

from Vienn; scurce hsd becn informed Lly Hot te i t h a t Kaltanbrunner,

Chief of tlie SD, m x t e c t o FEB him.

he m d Himmler were mcst anxious t o end t h e war and, e s ti f i r s t s tep ,

vere contemplht iw the l i q u i d a t i n n of llvmr-mngersft within t h e Nazi

PErty, e c p e c i i l l y Bormmn (Chiel" of S t a f f of the Chancery of the Party;

wmber cif Fa r Cabinet, SS Obergruppcnfuehrer; af ter 1941 Eess's

Eefcre h i s departure

~

Kait,enbrunner infcrmcd source that __ -

~

s.ucocEsor in of f i ce ) . Hlmmcr .and Kartcabrunner were mcst anxious tc

e s t a b l i s h ccntac t r ! i th t he B r L t i s h and Pmericcns and 6 s k d source

t o make En e f fo r t i n t h i s direct:on on h i s t r t p t o Switzerland. ThFy

. . . .

' . . i : .. . ..

.. .? , .

contemplhted senriirg t o SrvitLerland E\ high SS officioi .iiho wouid

Epenk cn t h e i r behalf prcviuea contact c c u d be established.

Solu*ce, on h i s c m f n i t i a t i v e , s q g e e t e d Alfred Potocki, brother

cf the forcler Pc i i sh minis te r t o RashLngton, should be permitted t'o

g o t o Switzerland with him &E he f e l t Pctccki had first class contacts , I

I .

mlth t h e Bri t ish. Ho t t e i imediti tely a r r u g e d an exit visa fcr

Potocki tnd h i o mother. Potocki expected t c proceed f irst t o ~ ~~

l e i c h t e n s t e i n where on L March he h&d n o t g e t a r r ived . , ~

. I

Amroved for Releass 2 . Date OCT 1992 . /

I . !i ?

I

..., . .

sc

QSS

u'ce t

representb t ive i n Bern sfuatea t k t

be " ra ther ijght-weight," he ccns

while he believed the

dered the above approach

i n t e r e s t i n g as ti s ign c?i' t h e Increrising d i s in tog ra t i cn n i t h i n the L

Nazi Party nxd ts on imiicatfcn of Himiicr'a yn t ics t o p rep i r e d i b i s .

Accorfiirg t o EOUTCC, Hialn-er -,"as then o r g m i z i r g the defcnse cn the

Elastern Frcnt and w i h ~ ibrgeiy i n coomnd cf t h t thea t r e af war. -

V. 3 Piarch. OES represcnta t i -e 1-1 Btrn repcr tea t h a t f u r t h e r

cGnuercation with sc~urce aentioned i n P a r h g r q h . I V above, indicated I

t i i tkt h i s 'FD contec ts End iaforin:ltfcn hsd mcre impcrtsnce than vies

c r i g i n e l l y b e i i e v d . Information frcrrr. o ther good S O L L T C ~ S tended t o

bear out t h e ind ica t ions given by s ~ i r c e t h a t Hirrnler, Kaltenbrunner

and c e r t a i n c the r h igh SP officials n igh t no t gc &long ydth t h e die-

hard fanatics and might t r y t o g a i n some irf iunity by cerv i rg i n ti

t r c u s i t i o n d regime betPveen tf i t iar and the occupational fc rces .

They might possibly p r e f e r this t o the n l t e r n c t i s e of ; o b i % Hi t l e r ,

Mrmtinn, e t a1 i n the Gerinhn "reduit .I1 OSS representative again

pcinted cut t h e s t a t e a e n t earlier contribut.ea t c Kalte3brunner t h h t

Himier wes m x i o u s t o l iqu iGate war-rncngers such &S Bormmn.

OSS representh t ive f u r t h e r s t a t e d that , a l t h a g h perscns cf 'the

Himrmer, Knltenbrunnsr type c o u d naturally gain no immunity fro? us,

E @ long as they believed t h i s xere poss ib le , it nright g i v e us an

opportuni ty t o drive a wedge in the SD and thus t o reduce t h e effecti te-

I ness of enemy plans f o r t h e Geriuin " r e d a t . " Stat i ry t h a t he had no

, , , . . ... .

.j ., . ,

. . ..

. .

. .

. f

. . . . . .

.. . . t

coriscience ihou t douhle-crossi.lg types like Himiier and Kaitenhrizqnor,

he s&id t h a t tbxGu&h i n d i r e c t channels he has Lrranging tc. have Hottel

come t o the SKiss Fi-ontiur where a t r u s t e d interEediary w d d meet

him. I

V I . 5 Marcn. OSS representb t ive i n Bern s ignuLed t k i t through

tno Close f r i e n d s i n t h e Swiss s e c r e t i n t e i i i gence he w ~ s advised

t h a t an important I t n i i n n i n d u s t r i t i i s t named Baron P o r e l l i ( the

, \

Fpeliing of h i s name WQS uncert2i.n) n-ished t o f a c i l i t h t e ccntac t I

b e t w e n importerrt Germm s f f i c i a l s in Northern I t a ly m d the All ies

with t h e generh i viev: of t e m i n a t i n g Germen re s i s t ance i n Ncrthern

. '. .

.. . .

. .

I ta ly . One of hbove-mentioned sources vms a person well-kncwn t o

the-m'ar Department"under ( ? ) nmber 6028." Baron P a r e h i h&d been f o r

amy years I t a i i a n r ep re ren tc t ive of I k z h Kelvintitcr and clbimea t o

be v d l - k n c w n i n Lctrciit.

After a m e t i n g between Earori PLrclii and an intermcdibry, it

seemed des i r ab le t o follow up t h e matter and r a t h e r unexpec td ly 02s

rop resen t t t l ve had been advieea i e te on t h e day of 2 NItrrch by h i s

Z w i s s s e c r e t i n t e l l i g e n c e f r i e n d t h h t Standsr teafuehrer Do i lnwm and

,

.- Zimer, who W E ~ reputedly Doilmanq's aide, had a r r ived a t t h e S ~ i s s

Fron t i e r . Reports 1x.d i t t h s t DOAUI~LXI R(LS e--:ceed ingLy iirf,uential

i n Rome p r i o r t o i t s l i b e r a t i o n and t h a t hc bpgzrentiy cAiLiuea c r e d i t

for hming saved Rome from des t ruc t i an .

a cons idera t ie fo r tune in ccjnnecticn mith the rhnsoming of i n p c r t u t

nepatediy he h td b u i l t ug

. *

L ,

.: 8 . . . . . . .

. -6-

i n d i v i d m l s and I enerLLy, though 5:

some sympzithy f o r Itz3.ians9

metinmi f o r a price, ,.ad shown

OFP internediery, whcj viiis proceeding t o L u p n c on other

businesst met Dolinlmn, ZimTer and P b r e d i &nd a Swiss i n t d i i g e n c e

o f f i c e r et Lxano on 3 March. To t h e Saiss intermedkry, Dolincnn

had apparently claimed thHt he represented Kesseuing , Rahn (Nazi

d i2 lona t i c repreeenta t ive i n I t a l y ) , Wuif'f ( sen ior SS and pol ice

l e a a e r , Itbly) , and Cerrt,t>r el' Hhre te r ( idenf , i ty uikncrin) :. but t o

OES intermediary he never spec i f i ch l ly so s t a t e d . T o t he l a t t e r

he indictited only t h a t a f t e r c c n s u t a t i o n s a t Fuseuc (Fasanu '2

Venice a re& o r Istria :), and subjeqt t o c c n f i r m t i o n on b Mzrch,

t

he w o u d r e tu rn t o Switzer,snd on Thursday, E! Mach, Kith c redent ia l s

and d e f i n i t e propcshls.

I

The nature cf t he prcposnls viere not indicated

9 but from other trslks which in te rmtdihr i ss nnd, OSS re ixesenta t ive

assumed that they r o u l d bear upon t h e future d i spos i t i on of German

forces i n Ncrthern I t a l y .

' A s Q r e a l tes t of Doilmenn's s i n c e r i t y a& a b i l i t y t o a c t , it

was suggested t h a t t h e release of c e r t a i n I t a l i a n p a t r i o t s be '

promptly e f fec ted . (One of these being P a x r i , otherwise kncwn as *

Pdeurizio, a CLN representa t ive who had been a r r e s t ed by the Germans

i n Turin. On 8 March OSS representh t ive s ignal led t h a t he had been

t o l d P a r r i was being released. See paragrhph VI1 helow.) OSS

intermediary gsve Dollmann no name; Dollmonn probably believed t h a t

\

d

he was asscjciating wi th a representa t ive of t h e S u i t e Department.

*Eugen Doi lmn has been described t ts Himrmerts perscnal envoy i n Italy,

I . .

w---r-̂ r--rc.U.Ur . -..-.- - _- . , .

I t

where he has l i ved f o r years. He spetiks f l u e n t I t a i i a n , and resided i n ' Rome before liberation. 1 $

. .

. I .

- * '

. _

., r f

, , .

. . . .

. .

I . .

.. . .

. I

. , .

. ..

.._ - . . - . - .. . . . ' I . . . *

' !i

. . .. .! * . ., . . .

'i. ' . ., . . , , .

- . , -

. , *: ' .

-7-

On 5 &rch OSS representa t ive s t a t e d i t was n o t y e t c l ea r

' whether t h i s move of Colimannts wae separate from o r p a r a l l e l t o

t h e e a r i i e r negot ia t ions mentioned i n paragraphs I V and V, bu t he

w a s inc l ined t o be l ieve that &s f a r &s t h e North I t a i i a n s i t u a t i o n

was concerned, they Pr.uuld merge if, i n f a c t , Doiirrann was. ac t ing

f o r Kesseiring, Rahn, e t a l . Ti thout c i t i r i f i ca t ion of Doilmannfs

roLe, t he re was naturn1,y n G niention m d e of t he Himruler, Khltenbrunner

i i n e ., OES representa t ive s t a t ed t h a t i f Dolirann returned he woud

arrange t o find out what he hLd t o say. a

nature t o f a c i l i t s t e uncondi t iond surrender of t h e German forces

i n Northern I t a l y , he ~~ suggested t h a t it might be des i rab le t o arrange

a m i l i t a r y contact t o t ake place on the Swiss side of the Front ie r .

If t h i s shouid be of

H e remarked that i n s p i t e cf AFI-Qts cbservEtions t h a t if

Kescelring wished t o dispbtch an emisssry with an o f f i c i a l message

he cculd ~ l v ; ~ y s f i n d ways of doing it, it should be remmbered

t h a t those around Kesaelring wno might wish t o f a c i i i t a t e a surrender

could act only with t h e g r e a t e s t secrecy i e s t t h e i r movements be

betrayed by f a n a t i c Nnzis i n Kesselringts entourage. Thus, he pointed h

out , t h e normal procedure of sending an a f rp l sne o r messenger t o our

l i n e s might prove d i f f i c u l t , t h c x h it was r e l a t i v e l y easy f o r high

o f f i c i a l s t o come t o Switzeriand, as they h&d been d o i w continuously

over a lung period, without arcusing suspicion.

~ F . - -. - - . -~

' * \ . r , - ,

-a -

OS8 representa t ive i n Bern s t a t ed that he had csilficknce i n

the Swiss through whom he was deGLiq and f u r t h e r pointed out t h a t

all Swiss interests lay i n t h e f a c i l i t a t i o n of a peaceful eurrender

of Germans i n North I t a l y .

,

'VII.

Gaffen SS Cenerai Karl Wolff, t cge ther w i t h an OKm representa t ive

presumably from Kesselr ingts staff, p lus Doiimanri and Zim'er err ived

i n Lugano t h a t morning d l e g e d l y prepared t o t d k d e f i n i t e l y .

On 8 March, OSS repre&ents t ive in Switzerland s igna l led that -. ~ -

If

t h i s were ccnfirned, he w ~ u i d see K h a t they had t o sty. He hed been

t c i d a l s o thn$ i n answer t o his request P a r r i was about t o he l ibera ted .

If both these r epor t s were true, OSS representa t ive suggested that a

high SACMEU author i ty be prepared t o g o t o Bern.

ccuLd, 791th absolute secrecy, arraage en t ry i n t o S a i t a e r i m d i n

c i v i l i a n crothes , and s e c r e t cooperation of locai autho ' r i t ies C G U ~ ~

be assured.

d u t h o r i t i e s from SHAE.F constant iy came t o Bern.

4 .

Said representa t ive ~

There W N ~ S nothing unusuai i n this 8s high military , 1

OSS representa t ive t h o y h t that the p o t e n t i a l i t i e s

developments were so far-reachirg t h a t they j u s t i f i e d immediate

of these -~

~ ~~ -

, c o n a d e r a t i o n in t he h ighes t quar te rs . If Wolff were r e a i l y working ~~

with Kesselring, these two might effect an unconditional surrender

provided absolute secrecy could .be preserved.

The quest ion remined, how much d id Himmler know about t h i s ? F

- - . -

.- ~ -

-9- ,

VIIT.

t h e t an o f f i c e r named Adriano of CLN, Venice, wouid s h c r t i y

a r r i v e i n SwitzerJ-md and seek t o contiict OSS.

he would b r i r g informat'ion about severaA nigh German o f f i c e r s i n the

Venice area who were sa id to'be part of o German insurrect ionary

movement End disposed t o co l labora te with Allied forces i n t h a t

Meanwhile, on 12 February, OSS Caserta had s i g n a d e d Bern

According t o repor t s ,

area. It was stated t h a t our prirctuy in te res t would be t o a sce r t a in

everything possible about said German of f icers : t h e i r simE and

acti;ntions, a d t h e s t rength , composition, l eaders and d i spos i t i on

of t h e a l l eged ins&rectiomry movement.

f a c i l i t a t e contact and advise i f contact were mede.

t h a t an a t t e n p t might be mcie t o sell an elaborate military plan

- OSS Bern was t c l d t o '

Warning was given

which should be t r ea t ed v:ith g r e a t caution.

Connection between t h e reported Adriano deal end the al leged

has a r r i v a l of Wolff, Doiimann, Zimmer e t a i is m t npphrent, nor

there y e t been reported t h e a r r i v a i of kdrihno i n Switzeriand.

IX. heference the Adriano s tory, t h e following was r e p r t e d from

' 08s Florence:

1. Sta r t ing 19 February, m i l i t a r y command of Venice w a s ,in

contact with Venice Pla.tzkommandantur, who, i n turn, s t a t e d he

represented German insu r rec t ion movement and was i n touch.with Kesselring.

Desired t o meet All ied o f f i c e r t o present proposals and rece ive a rep ly

f o r s surrender of t roops operating i n Italy.

I

On 10 February, Liberat ion

. . -, . . . .

I ’ , - ’ _I_

-1G-

Headquarters haa sen t Adriano t o Switzerland t o contact OSS and

. .

., ,’ .

. *

., . , .

. : ,

make t h e proposals.

t h e f oilowing 2

It was said he could approach Kesselring with

Throtgh Paulus t o persuade Von krnim to j c i n Anti-Nazis.

The three Generals t o br ing cibGut col lapse of the Front.

Al l ies t o land a t severa l po in ts on the Adriat ic .

Parbchut i s t s t o rand i n Upper Erenta VaiLey t o i s o l a t e

Kesse l r ingfs HQ from Gemany.

Guarantee Kessehing and a few others not t o be considered

~

var criminals.

Guarantee German people not t o be exterminated nor s t e r i l i z e d .

Leave t h e three G e n e r d s with an appearance of au thor i ty ,

presumably a s pol ice serv ice .

R e l i a b i l i t y of above r epor t is questioned.

2. A second North Itaiian Source reported io February t h a t from varieus

Sub-sources, ch ie f ly German Consul i n Turin, t he Germans had declared that

they acuLd l i k e t o make a separa te peace i n I t a l y and t o meet an American

Off icer t o present t h e i r proposals.

. . .

. .

. j .

-11-

x. On 8 Marcsh, 0 5 s Caserta not i f iedUS6 reprassnt&ive that WQ

vas aonaiderlng tho question of whether or not n representative

ehoul& be sent t o Switserlend for a possible lceeting vith (tersres .

authori t i e r .

nothine; but rhould ueoure whatever information ha could, sspediallr

on the reliability of the parties involved and dstai lr of the

In the neanvhile, 05s representative ~bctuld proare

i

Xeaselring - RflPrJler relationship.,

u. 9 Marah. OSS rapreeeatatlve in Switserltlnd signalled that Wolff

hdtd inafcetea i w i ~ ~ r q p e s s t o attempt dstrs10ping 8 progrim t o trifre

Northern It& out of the confl ict . Walff eonridered that a m ~ r o

Ecf'litary surreudo~ would be df f f iau l t t o sffeat.

capitulation be preorded by LI statement t o the Qannan people from German.

l d e r o in Porth I ta ly , t h t any further struggle w a a hopeless and would

He preferred that

aerely cauee nesdlws Qeman bloods'ntlb end daetruct:on. golf f otrcted

that Bahn was in accord with him but that Xesselrfag vboaa adherenae

waft essential had not bern won over.

Uclff w(h8 proaeeding iaunsdfataly t o Jofn xeos%lring a d endeavor

t o re11 hir progru t o h i m . Yofff vould h.3 in touch -with us.

- Volff hsd enquired a b u t BIL alleged P r l t i c h agent, one Captan

heker, who bpd raoentlf beun turned over t o htm b~ Qrlrlrladi urd

releaarb t o return t o SAWGD via Switxerlurd (apparently vfth the Idea

of belptng t o n q o t i a t e a aurreader).

rola C q t a i a Duckas w a s really p1a;ying.

Wo&ff ua8 pussled a8 t o V h r O -.

e

(On 13 %8rchr OSS Bars riQJ4fhl that k c b r hqd turned out t o

. . . . : , .. . . . . .

..

. . ,

. .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .

. -3.2-

in order t o get aut of I t d y anit rgport t o SOB. Being out on parole,

ha proposed t o reburn ta %Iff's HQ xhers tvo other 18ritiah offiaorrr

had been left e15 hostages.

'

3uok.r had already rpmt a WI& in (5

Swirr internment amp, a d OSS representetiva, vithouf dircloring the

baa@round, hcrd axranged that Mallaby wait In Switzorhnd 81 they0

wat no tima l i m i t on hia parole.

with i f o l f f , the oatter aottld easily be clanred inaamuch an Hallaby's

ertory checked with Volff's)

ff there were a further sieeting

, . Parr% ( nMauriiion e CLI agent meutioned in paragraph VI above)

had been delivered in Zurich unconditionally and B T ~ A prior t o a n ~ r

lndicstion that 08s representative would *@e Yolff.

hsb teen him in good health the night of 8 March.

did not knov hov he bad been released.

that tbe c l r c u t ~ r t ~ c e m o f N s release be kept secret, OSS rapreosatotiva

prugoeed that when Parries prerrence in Switxerlsnd becane knowns i t bo

hinted that be w88 freed in exchanga f o r a Ger- ?/d.

098 repreeentativu

P u r l , at that tima,

Stating that i t warn importors$

Truthfully or not, W'olff claflced that Eiaanler wau uawre o f his

activitier.

Sinca Xolff apparently coptrolled a11 police on entire Swlsr - I ta l ian frontier, it mi thought that we now ha& EL m 1 ~ a n 1 of q-aiak

uontadt ulth top @enaazr parronalifisr fa Sorthero. Italy. An 3ntcrrmrdiary

(I) wa@ t o hrwa further meeting with t'folff oa 9 Maroh and a full report

voald follow by rcplftr chmnslr.

On 9,)ltsrchs OSS Carmto inforeed OSS reprerentstir* (who shall

henceforth be a d l e d X) that Bia ld MarrhQl Alexandar had outlined

t o Marshal Brook a progored plm involving the di<patoh t o Svftzarland

of two senior rttaff O f f i U a r t ! who si& mot with 8.lqum reprermtrtiveo.

OS8 hrtd been dtrecrtsd t o mbmit LL plan for all necessary stepr, inuluding

trrrPngemantr for s meettag glace in Switrerland and Crampartation t o

and from that placse t o Amsmro o r vicinity.

. .

f a aaditionQS8 would

bs c d l a d upon t o provido c o m e a t i o n e , olerical autistmoe,

intrrpreterr &d d l neceusary Pdegusrde for bhe eeaurfty of tho

operation which, within OSS, vas t o be known by the code nam SULIBISO,

S b + V +

a

undartake.

abmlute secrecy)

He cmtiodod th0t the success of the projaat depended upon

,

,

. .. _. . . . . . . ._ L . . ,

. _ . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . , , , . : _: , . . . , . .

' . .

U f f .

had been acooPepanied t o Zurich by Rollmann; Lt. COT. Werner, h i 8

military oxpert; %imrrsr an8 Yarelli. X had coneented t o see only

Voiff who, acconpmisd by a Sulsfi fntarsediarg, came t o his &part?:

10 Warch. A stap.l;laolentary re2,ort from X stated. that Holff

on the evoning of 8 karch.

parsiyra_uh XT above) then talked t o 'dolff alone, an& Y later intexoieue8

$'oLfi ead Dollmann.

X a d Y ( t h e intermediary mentioned In

It VRS ap-garsnt t b t blolff uaz~ a dietinctiwo geriiond.ftg.

Eqerytking indicated that he represented the more moderate olemaat

in the iiraifen SS with a certain raixture of romaatiafsm. Re yest th.

mctrat dynaaic parsanalltg in Northern Italy ma - after Kraarlring - k.

the most ?aawetful.

jcolff stated that the time ha8 eame &en some Q e r w vitb the

To a d u e e l e s r a.nd powar t o act rhouldlssd Germany out of the war.

naterial deitructtoa he was willing t o act and fe l t that he could

Vorarlberg, rEyrcl and the Bremer Pam with both Horthofn m6 Southern

approBohe8.

una Hinnaler wuld be~pouer1e.r~ t o taka sffocticre oountsrmea6arrf uore

In cbntrart with tha sltnation of 20 July 1944, Rftirr

laad, their joint action would Liave vital re~srau~rion~. A r far P I

I .

, , , . . . - - , , , .:I,

, ..... ' . . , ' . . , . , . ' ., . . . .. . , , ,.. . . ,

I ., .

Ma own remandl safety was aoncernea, k'olff made no requeett.

To bring about action Wolff c m v i w s d the follouing proceaurer 1) EIe wuld amat Xearoelring, with whom for s~vorctl .

' years ha clniaed tha C l O t t t S t personal ,relatione,. over tho

weekend of 10 - 31 Mmch with the puqore o? obtsining a

definite commitmen9. Xesselring, who ha& instoted tha%

throughout hi8 long military carerr be had a lwiy t kept'hir

oath of e13egienos a d was now to@ old t o change h i t Ideas,

would have the problem of reaoaailing any D U C ~ proposals

with bio oath: but Volff bellavkd that Lesselring could be

won over t o the futility of the struggle iurd t b t , above

hia duty t o the hehrer, war his duty t o the Oarmsrn people.

'

2) Vith ploo~elring he would drdt aa appeal t o b@ oi$aed

by Kerrslrina;, asSn, hixmalf and other*, retting forth the

uaelse6nerr of She struggle, their reoponribility Ooward the

Qer- peopla t o terminate it, and an m e a l t o military

cammn%err and .11 concerned t o dirarsocierts thmselrsr froa

the Hiantler - ITitlEsr caotrolr

haet i l i t iea in Worthern X t a l j . .

The Germans would end a l l

3) fn order t o reach tho hrmarr laadera and the Qormmn

propla, a radio Lusd leaflet uampalgn voula ba prepared. ~

I

I

Wolf1 believed that wepe ~easslrin& uon over, he would o o u '

rs6rotly t o 8witrr*rlmB t o mest Allied military repreaeatativer urd t o

i I

-16-

coordinate purely military Pieftawes of ourrender baaed on the above

appr8l.

t o do thir for him; &sttiger, hlr Chief o f Staff, vas not yet

ApparontXy no one in K s r s d r i n g ' r imedirzts e t d f was suits.'

acquaintad vith tho proJect.

Sn W t i o n t o the relea.. 02 Parri (already blaZfP,

au ettidenae of hir ability t o act , pre>are&$

1) 20 diecontime active wrfcIre against the P a r t i e a s ,

keeping u p only the neasosnry preteaos pending exeoution of

4 the plan;

2) 210 releaao .into Switsaerlanb several hundred JEDS

(Jews or Jedburgho 7 ) Interned at B o z ~ ~ .

he had refused what6vtar raneon money hab been offered for them,

Volf elaimed tha%

m d if i t had disappmred, it had been ewdlowed up bg inter- .

aectiarier ;

3) To tmsuae f u l l r sqons ib i l l t f f o r the safety and

treatncnt of 3130 Brit i sh rrnd American prisoners, o f whom 160

wre i n the hospital at Htmtue. and 200 on the southern

outskirts of that city. ?his, he claimed, accounted for $&1

the British and American prisonere held in Harthera I t a l y AB

the r e r t had reoently been transferred t o Germany; ,

4) To release into So.itzsrland Sogno Pranai if raid

individnal, who watt 8 well-know0 patriot mrkin(5 with GLEU

and the Brltish whose release Parri particularly desire&,

could be found:

5 ) 40 faoiiftats, insofar as he .aould, the return t o

. . . . . . .

. . .

. .

. .

, . .

, . . .

, .:. . . . . . . .

. ., ,

. . . .

, .

( . . . . . . . . . . .

. : * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :

. , . .

. . .

. * . 1 . ....

Borth-fwlp a i s31 ftellan officaro then held in Oennany

who might, in the po$t-hootil€tSee period, prove u0efU .

6) V o X f would walooma the help of 8aurath vbra he

f e l t had aanoidorabla influence on Keaoelrlng.

invi te Hwrath t o Join M a In ftalr.

8s would

. Early in February VoUf had $ e m Kitlsr and ViMslsr mci

k d r i s d thm of the general hopeleoenaso of the Rmth ftalian

r i t n i o n but had reoeivrd f r o m then no definita instruetione.

31 commented that, while i t waa neoeora~y t a withhold final

judgment until

were Isnow, he

opportunity to.

the rewlta of the 330121 - Xorrrelringg: conrarscbtions

believed that t h i m might prorent a very a i m s ahorten the w a r and t o perrait tha aaaupatfoa of Northern

Xtdy and pasriblfr, even, the geaetration o f Austria unbr thtm moat

favorable conUt1ons.

ertablishmdat of IL Haqaim.

Heuclelring or mothsr .high military authority vera comiw t o Suitzerlruid,

f t m i # t , s lso , tdraak Qerm&rr plana far the \

trusted that if hs got word tbrat

with tho power to alter the uaurs~ o f military affairs, SAW@ would

bo prs;>a;red t o oand t o Svitaerland an appropriah nllitarp paprerent&-

tiyo. X wiehsd it oleslsly understood k h a t he had e a e d in no

*

negotiation*; he had msrely listened t o Molff+m graesntation arnd had '

stated, with no rofo.tation0 oa-~olfi's part , that uaaondltioaail

surrender uas the only poarrible course.

X kaov of no pmtiaularlfr uloso relations between SSannolring

F 'a \

. . . . :

. , ..

* '. . . , .

. . .. .

. .

. . ' , ; '.

.I . . . ..

3uY.

MCIQ were wirad t o Barn (and Vauhiqgton).

On 10 March, full detai lr of tha S~.%JfEU% plan as approved by

h1. Yuil with fourteen

personnel would proceed t o Aansmsrrre 11 March t o Join Crockett who

tlrrivad th&e 10 M.arch t o confer with X. 7'Qs pperaomel mnld be

kast in *"rams as a pa01 t o au~ylament whatever f t could provide.

They would be introduced into 8 w i t e e r l ~ d only as they verb needeb

X vas t o 5ecure fmra Wolff a atntsment that he, Wolff, end hl6

X!l.

upon complete sscreay,'pointing Go the fact that La hail n o t yet hrd

ftnal word f r o m Molff and that the cooperttion of X e s s e l r h g wall

eraontlal, ke neverthelera implied that if this vtwe Pcrceptablo t o

MW, the two ~ s n i o r stuff offiaerrr nri&ht well u6ue t o 1Lnnemaso6'in

r&adilzc)68 f o r proparad seetin&.

init ial psrroaael roquiremoata provided OSY CPeerta roppllrd tho

Qn 31 Harch, X signalled that uuccem of tba operation depended /

,

I# &l eventtt, ho could meet w;th

' . ,. -, .. , . . . . .:

. .

. .. . .

i€ 1% wore .ao cfeslrsd.

. . . . . .

. . . * .

-1 9-

a * * * *

given bin clearance. In m y event, he dlA not expect t o hear f r o &

' . . tho Gnrtwlaa uti1 12 Wirch at the earliest. .

that mrning before, tihe arrival of X's afgnul daBCrfbed in paragraph

above.

hajndls all arr(Bn&;rSments, he did not deem i i y neaessary or desirable to'

consult British c o l l e ~ a m .

Since ApHtz had plaoed full r e n p n s i b i l i t ~ r on OsS $one t o -

XVSX. O n 32 March, X oigndled t b t Parellf hati Juet returned f r o m

aesing Vol i f .

he had tele2honed Xerselrlng's KQ only t o f fnd that hsselring had Juot

been stusmono& t o Hltlsr'* UQ.

but thare was a chanue that he might never roturn. The meeting vas,

therefor*, portponad pending word from Keareh-b.g. X ruggestad that

AFffQ coneidrr vhether they would Ire lntereotad in canbatsting Wolff,

1

2s.rulli stated that when i iolff bad ronqhed Yesuno (BQ South),

' Uol f i expected h i m back within three days,

aem.m5ng, o f course, thttt ka had a plan of aaticlin. Wolff ha& said that

he wuld aaag t o Svlteerlrurd at any time,

X hrb -robed t o Parslli that Volff indleate (a) What he

pr~@08ed t o do if Iterrelring did not rotura~ (b) What hr, mulb do

if he l I k ~ d 8 a wore orderad t o report t o the fiehrer: ( c ) ' 39 be

-20-

did aot cooperate.

X suraiasd tkat X s i w l ? b & ' a e a 1 t o tha P\r&hrsr'r HQ af&+

forsahadaw an attonpted evacuation of Horthena I ta l7 arrd that if

Kessdring did not convince Hltler and. E i d e r that ho wul8 coopera:

he might ba $iton either a now comxzad or priroa. '

X Y I f I . %pplementLng thla metloage (Sea pbrqraph X V I I libova) completing

Parslltte report, X mbxiittod, tho follovlngr

I) Upon h i s return t o Xtaly, Volff had received a te1egre.a 8

from Xaltenbrunner advising him t o t w o i d srstablfmhlng oontaot

in Svitterlrrnd ss f t might mean catastrupba for €Mtenbrunnar'c

o m planm.

Eierster, at, the time of Dol1a;ann'a first t r i p t o Bwitaerl~rrriS,hah

Upon inveatisation, wolff had ascovered that '

wlred lkdt+mbmnner advising him that an at tempt night be mado

t o effect contacts in Swltzarlmd.

f e l t that t h l a wirer **as sen$ t o cover Dollmtina's trauk. and

bcuoraing t o Pare l l i , V o l f f *

that Barster vat dependable. (X considered th18 explanation

possible but diff icult t o verify).

2) &wmt on information that MuaSoliai had, obt&.lned Spanish

canrant for entry and wa8 preparing t o f l e a t o Spain, he &uld

be &~ced under amad guard.

3) Y o l f f considered that Oberstumbbnnfuehrsr '&exache,

now believed t o be hospitalized in Fr'moe, might. be useful 30

' farther h i a glanob (X nskad 2arirl t o give Bern fill information

. i

! . r . . I I . 7

-23-

s .. . . ... _;

. ~ :

. ., , .

used 8s tur axcbzme;e t o cover the disappearance of Farri which

Wolff, raputsdl3r. WAC haPing difficulty explaining.

8 ) klff had clahed t o h ~ v e three milliard n o l b i u

r d n e shisros in Xtrllan companies on the Uspornition of which

he zslwd RdViue. - 6 ) He hwd. Hgaln enquired a@ t o whether we had any requeotr

for the fscil ite.t%on of a return f r o m Gsrrnraoy t o Northern Ztaly

of' X t a l i r r J I offlcero who might be uodul ;In the post-war pmiod.

night oog~romior an dreadf highly Involved taltuation.

Z X . On 13 Mrrch, X nfgnslled that ?or reason^ of ascurity Qlavin

Ar neithar Yolff qor eventually gersslrlng could be absent for any

'length of time at th le orinis witbout awekening serious suepicion, the

' .,

. - - . , .

1 .‘I ~ ..

-22-

Party arrived in Lpan 3630 burs. They wore t o proceed t o

dnnsmcrer 14 Msrah t o xeet with %.

XXSf. .At 0114 ibburrr 14 March.

at iinneimseo rtatfng that CIW had enquired .I t o w b t crraagemrats

had been nude f o r the entry of U X Q raprerentativer into Swltrerlmt!

A w i d wai sent t o Ba13tzX8S Party

: $$23s’ \N ‘FbKb

generals. Bad any further aontaot bean rantam with Wolfff

.

\

aonfarsntae vas migmlled.

X, i t was r a d , fadicated thkt about three veeks ago, Ik~selring

b d asked hurath t o Paset Wectzhal, Ilia Chief of Staff, and Blaakowitr,

Camanding &my (lrotq 8.

t o deternine bheir ~ f e w s in respect t o the need for negotiation d t h

tho Al l ioe .

!?!key war0 qnerisd by Xfmrath for Reorelring

(Thia infarPlPrtion bad, been furnisheU t o Y W tho-

ass).

not return bat had gointed aut that he would d e h y hio action

in m atternpt t o win r3vec Bessalringts B U O C ~ S B O F , if there

were on.; i f k9 failed, he would, then act alonei

w5th lailZtarr adviboro who muld bring with then the answer

a i t o vha% area8 they could. uontrol.

Y s l f i farther crtatad that he would be grad t o tnfrs a0 OSS radio ,

operator t o his €IC& who could kegp him in touah with the 3UYifiISE ?arty.

LIccordtng t o X, Wolff had tnkm a poaftfon deacribed a’s an haorable

one; he was aooMftted t o gs t h m * . h wlth hfr plsar and decisions).

-t*

-24-,

hatr infornaliioa receivsd through 05s contaat wlth*’dolff

lndicntod that 19olff had nrtrr0Wlp mlsaad doath by Allied bombing ar

V o l f f bad rtated that Kslteabmnner uaa then nt Peldkirch;

offenriver on Euat slr& ‘deut Bmats.

dlswnal o f Yoehlor .ad Rorghsao foreei. Yolff pointed aut that

if Gdtenbrnnner Vera t o arrive at hirr EQ, ho muld bet uLz&bke t o

Z y v a without eubatrnrsasnt or riak.

13 &kr& ‘violff bid m t h o w that there ws8 o auccessot being agrpointsd

fer Xoeselring).

Wolff tomt abrlao on the

( I t vas avidant that OD

Signal further stated that, judging f r o m dl rrrallcrble informe

tioa, X had the feeling t b t E i d e r sought pew&; X considered that

the potential r-aoultr of an early anefftirqg between Ab’IQ a d qualilikd

German ronrooentrtivar would (1) 8ecurg a full surreader, or (2) effect

confaoion bshind tho Lfem8n I h ~ e o , o r (3) obrtruat the development of

a Qennan Maquts, or (4) e f f e c t P ooPlbinertion.of ( 2 ) and (3) in tho

event thab (1)

Requoat

xltF13z. At 1220

aould not be realized.

wara made for a, dallr military intelligeaas mmmarp,

hours Lf3 M e , word srrired that Qlavio, Wail,

I . . .. , . . . .

' . , i ::,:; I

, . .. _ . * . . . '. .

\ ' !

. . . . I .

1 . . ... .. . . .

. . . . . !

, . ..

*.;. . ':e 111 -25-

XXVIII. 15 March. 11332 hours. 50s wired S t W S Z Party that

Conbined Chiefs of Staff had been notified of pertinent pofnto

i n t h d r msseage described i n Paragraph =SI1 above.

\*m,&Q

(\-I f- %L

out orders as ciroumrtonces permitted. &trfans would take part i n 4 - b

% u - r ~ dimcuseionr st ASHQ on arrival of Germ delegation.

XXX.* 16 March. SLJTSRISE wired S0.S that intermediaries between

X and Crl t iu had le f t ]Bern early 15 March and were expected h a l t

f r o m Critio'r quarters on Saturday or Sunday. Hsaatirne, arrange-

ments were being mado 80 that Picholson and Mcl8sely might be near

at hand for next meeting i n th6 vicinity o f Locarno.

% G30

&L +-

X X Z . 17 Usrch. SUBRISE signalled SOS that intsnnsdisry had % 536 t3)d,-3/ Lk) returned and that p o s o i b i l i t f s s of conference b&Ueen X and Crith

5- looked favorable for Monday, 19 March. Gdn,

. XIPEII. 18 March. SU'NRISlb Ysrty wired from vicinity of 'Locarno

% 3 that Critic, vho would appear on Monday, had given intermediary n

following information: Enperor had been put in comaand of hotern YWL

..1 , ' L -.

. .

-26-

Yront and would be raplaced by (€lazier. While new fsppointrnent

woiild delay uny immediate move in lorthern Italy, it might open

up _nossibilities on the Wastern Pront.

XXXIff. 19 March. SUN8ISO Party acknowledged 3DS' authorizetit.

t o meet O r i t i u and h i s associates if situation devsloped t o make w\n& 61

3- 505\nrcci t h i s desirable.

. . 8 XZXIV. 20 March. m f S E signal sumnrarieed meeting with (lritio

. , t

1 . . .

held near Looarno 19 March.

X and Critfc, Richolson and MilcNeely had dadided t o meet with

Critia. Nicholson t o l d Critic that the problem resolved i t ee l f

into whether Critio should try hisi hand vi th Glazier, or should

proceed t o Empsror's HQ on the Western Pront before rreeing Glarier.

Oritic had decided to laave on 20 Marah f o r &peror's HQ for

puzpoes of obtaining 'ais support and return t o make definite

propreale t o Qlaoier.

than f ive d a y s ; it might tsrks as Bntch as aeven.

'phroughout the h o l e meeting, Crltie made no rsfermoe t o

3?'ollowiry D. long conference betvaen

H i s trip could not be accornpliahed in 3.e88

rrsy conditione of aurrender and did not attempt to bargain.

reemed possible, themfore, that Oritie had already gone further

with the ?4aps*t than he had preaowly admitted.

I t

XX%V. 21 March. SWXRfSR signalled So8 that arrangeareato were

-27-

succe~~sful . iliahalaon f e l t that Otitic would come to next meeting

either with definite plana aad propordo or admit his inability to

act.

vas requerted.

Approval of plan t o w a i t in Switzerland for ouch a meeting

x;Iu;vI. Oolonel Qlrnvfn and Veil signalled brief atatement for 24 s3q Q\.* relay t o 109.

,&LYh-

XKYplI . 21 14arch. McNeely forwrded summary of intelligence *

obtained at lceetlng of Oritio on 13 March, giving an estimate of

Critic himreli and a report as t o the forcer whom Critic claimed

t o control i n themar areas.

8

& h 8 %--- 3dL

XXX'tlXII. 21 March. SGS approved SUHBISE Partg'a remaining in l o $l$ S*%fL

- \

Cq,n,s15) Switzerland t o await next- contact vith Critic. s- C - f L

XXXIX. 22 k c h . Movenient report from Olavin add Well. & 539 Qm %fL

XL. 22 Mfiroh. Kire t o Glavin and V e i l iclssursd them that all OSS

plana had been nade f o r North Italian capitulation inaofar aa wao

XLf . 23 M a r c h . Becommendation f r o m Bicholson snd McNeely that

Parri a8 a security measure be removed from Switzerland a d taken to

Italy f o r confsrencdo.

% 5.17 s..c % Before he left Switzerland he would have

... . . . :

.. % . :

-28-

conferred with Oabrna and could bring 1ateat.appraisa.l of

aituatlon In North I ta ly to AZTQ.

XLIII. 24 March. SUXIUSE rfgnislled S W suggesting that CAdorna 22s 5& s- R C C O ~ ~ ~ M ~ Parri to Grrrerta. (Parri would travel under pseudonym

XLIV. 26 March. Colonel Olavin signelled order6 that OSS,

taking lnrtructionr from APHQ, chauld h d l a Parri and Oadorna

during their stay i n Southern Italy.

X 566 5- byc

k56Ci =v, 26 March. SQS signalled approval that C i o m a ticcompany

T O

%9-

XLVS . 26 Mar&.

had juot returned fran conferences with 476 and two Sviar inter-

mediaries, one of the l e t t e r t w o having been in contact w i t h

OriticIu aide, Graduate, who travelled between Milan and the

Xicholsoa signalled SOS that X and Ndeelp

% '7+ 4-

/ B e y v l ,

frontier, According to Qraduate, Critict@ HQ had had no word f r o m

him until l a t e 24 March, when I t was established that Critio could

not return before Wednesbay, 28 March.

S t l N l U ~ Party nuodd not g~ a w a y angrym.

Critia hoped that the

, ' .. .

-29-

XtVII;.

word from Critic the previour evening.

27 March. Nicholson vired SGS that there had been no

Although i t wao too early to coment on th8 oignificsnae

of the reprt with relation to SUTJRISE, lzahn and Hsreter had both

been returned t o hmany and, it was underotood, were participating

in a meeting at Hftler's HQ,

XLVIII. 27 XRrch. Bicholoon and t4cI?@ely rent SQS thsir

sppreciation of the aituationf (See 9 676 from Bern). Critic'o

free movements, his frequent abaences from his EQ, the relay of

telephona serrageo between fmperorla KQ and Milan, and the

con;lplicity of niercbere of his staff, all suggested a well-accepted

and sympathetic background for surrender, at least in BS circlsa.

In the event of Cr i t i c la f&ilurs t o returp, or further delay,

there was no alternative l e f t but for the SUNRISZD Party t o return

t o AlrrrQ, leaving the original OSS channels open for continued

contact.

S I X . 25 Maroh. Blchaloon and H&eely wired SOS 6 further

apgteciiztioa of events. A conrlderablo number of people were

aware of SUNEISB, these including not o n l y German authoritisr in

North Italy but oertaln elements of Swim SI a d (5 f w people in

North ftslian uonmrrcicel and Industrial circler. (Sed Q 688 from

Bern) .

P

-30-

Oritic was expected to return to hie EQ the evening of

28 Karch.

(During the night of 28 - 29 March, after s ~ 1 sxcb:~

o f telegram* betwaea Caserta and benuwse, a plane w a s eont t u

Lyon/Bron t o pick up Parri ma Cadorna)

L . 29 Haroh. Xicholson signalled sc)S that Parri and Cetdoma

' had l e f t for Caserts only with reluctance. They bad been assured

that every effort would bo made to return them t o Horth I ta ly when

conditions permitted.

them to aonfer with 0-3, C-5 and sther staff sections concerned with

ocouijntional problemo, and t o v i s i t E3 AC and 15 M;z

Be reconatended that arrangements be made for

LI. 3G March. Nicholson wired SOS that Critic was then

believed t c have returned t o his He, that the SWUSE Party y80

leaving f o r Locsrno to &e arrangements f o r the next meet iq

which might take place over the weekend of 1 Agril.

t i o n did not dsvelop favorably, ha reaommended that the Party bo

permitted t o return t o Caserta.

If the Bitua-

LI a. 31 March. Sn # 593 from Bern, Mdeely requested

that 6-2 wire SUNRISE Party'e appreciation of 'the rltuation

(See Paragraphs %VI11 and XLIX] t o Q-2 Washington and fMf, London. $'

..

-31-

Lf b. 2 April . SO8 replied that Chief of S t a f f

S6G deemed i t unwire t0 repeat mere opinion8 to hlgher headquarters.

Reports t o 0-2 Usshington and would be taonflned to facts. \ - f -0

T a . , Y L

L I I .

much Parri snd Cadorna knew about SUERISBI-Ol?QSSWOB.

31 March. SGS queried the 9ulrTBfSB Party as t o how % 5 5 s

*e % r L < L -

LIIX. 1 April. Nicholson a,nd McNsely wired 809 that i t vaa

%S 6 \ G qyFh' confirmed that Critia ha& returned t o his EQ after having -LA%

received (L sympathetic hearing from the amperor who had

authorized him to epeak with Olasier i n hia behalf.

Oritic intended t o be i n Switzerland Monday or Tueiday, 2 or 3

Y 4 7- q-5k,

%o

Vhile

A&, Bicholson and t4cBeely did not pin much hope'on his

bringing Glazier 8 8 was intended. They thought, however, that

. in order t o reinsure himce&f personslly, Critic would come with

some offer, probably impraoticd., dealing vith the rear areas

=der hir oontrol.

LIT. 2 April. Xicholeon confirmed hi@ earlier meer~sge that

Parri and Cadorntc knew nothing about S ~ S ~ - o R D S S W O R D .

X 619- s.."- /9=.-yLc

%d'L \m

'?Ab 4!& '* L V I . * 3 April. 0345 "3" hours. Word vas sent t o Bern and

LV . t o Lyon 3 tpr i l t o p i a up WEiRxS party.

2 April. Paquest vas made thst a apeclal plane be rent

. l f 3 G J . t

-32-

Annsmasoo that a plane' wmld arrive at Lyon that afternoon.

LVII. 3 A p i l . 1515 hours. Word o m s from Nlcholron and

HcXeely (# 617 f r o m Bern) that Pari111 hdd crossed the bordn*.

the morning o f 2 April but had'nat h e n accomptded by Oritic

w h o had been warned by Himler that he way not to lsave Italy.

Critio had apparently conferred vith Glatier, according to

Parilli'e r a p r t , but, as Xicholson a d HcXeely noted, aaither

Critic nor Olarlsr had sent any suggestions vis Pari l l i au to

vhat altopld happen next. Nicholoon and RoEJeely had sent V W ~

back t o Critic that if he and Glazier vished t o surrender, they

could mend parlimentaires t o the Allierr directly through the

l ines .

Eitler's orders for the dertruction o f Rorthern It&?.

L

Oritic yiba reminded o f hie undertaking not to carry out

In view of developments, ljlicholson an& MoEiealy recommendad

they be sl10ved to return to Caserta.

LVIII.

return on 4 April.

3 April. SQS wired S W S B that D/SM had approve8 their

(Entire Sur(BIS3p P a r t y arrived at brchinero the afternoon

of 4 A p r i l ) *

LTX. 7 April. X signalled t h t the Sulrr preas had publiohed

. '. . .

-33-

the story that; two Eembers of the Ita3ia.n resistance had been

liberated by the Qernunr t o take part i n peace negotiation8 with

the Allies. Petmccio P a r r i had been one of them.

LX. 7 April. X rignalled that Graduate had arrived Friday

evening, 6 April, reprting thst Critic m a meeting with Glazier

and other8 Priday night and Satarw morning and that Parilli

wa8 b r i n g i s (L fu l l report.

8 ~

LXI.

to OCS, eummari zing the SUERISE-CEMSSWORD appreciation of dsvslop-

mento (See P 595 t o Bern) .

7 April . lllicholson wired to f a paraphrase of SA0 message

LXTI.

A full report would be forthcoxiing.

0 A p r i l . X wire6 that P a r i l l i ha8 arrived i n Switzerland.

~~

LXIIX.

report.

Critic had m e t with Glazier the night of the 6th and again. the

afternoon of the 7th.

9 April.

fie had delivered SUNUSE' me~aagea t o Critic on 3 April.

# 647 f r o m Bern gave a full account of Parilli's

O n 6 AFril Critict h&d met Vi th hi 0 comanders cmd cautioned

each t o prevunt deetruction within hi8 own area.

diatatctd. by Critie a8 rep=erenting Olazler's gosition had been

rubmitted t o X.

A rtatemurt

This, whiuh was forwarded in I t s original Omman

, :. ..:.

. . . .

-. -.. a , . .. .

-316-

,

i n 646 from Bern, set forth rtipulationr of a surrender

with military honora and the maintenance o f a substantial portiot?

of the Army Qroup &I) 8 future instrument of order inside ( i a m . ~ .

Pointing out that th6 matter ahould be oettled, if poeoibls, *

one trip, Glazier, Boettiger and Critic b b joined in aa urgent;

request that they be given a draft of the capitulation whioh they

were expected t o aign.

t o sign an unconditional surrender If i t could be put in a form

Oritic herd stated that Olaziar waa ready

which was consonant with h l a honor. Parilli and Graduate were

waiting in Switzerland in case SUNRXSE had any message to send to

Ofitia or wished to give X m y suggestions SUIRISE wished to convey

as coming from X.

LXIV. Bicholaontr reply to X suugiested a message which

waa to cone from X after consultation with "his military advisers":

It wa5 impossible to send 8 draft copy of any cspi tulkion, as,

in accordance v i th the usages o f war th i s vas only to be handed to

paslianentaiEee on their arrival at an appropriata He.

parliamentairee who came through the liner ehould include off icers

with abaoluts authority to act i n the name of the commander. *

9 April. A$

-4-0

%-fL

Any

Richoleon cautioned f against giving the Getmaas aap

excuse for clalmin& that the Allies were negotiating. The solo

obsect was t o mrmgo for paxliamentairau t o come to ASHQ 4 t h full

powbrs to arrange the detail8 of B military avrendgr.

further cautioned 8igalnot rrsndiw to the ~ermane, throua fnter-

X u m b

-36-

medis;iea, anything In writing which the Oernans could use to

suggwt that negotiations were i n progrets.

LXV. 9 A p r i l , X signalled the trubsthace of a seoond memo

from Critic (See # 648 from Bern), wherain Critic confirmed

8, 4-g his' obli&t%tione wlth regard to preventing destruction i n Hoxth h

\ i Y W

Q\ Italy but stated that in 8 0 m instancss t h i s would be imposoiblg

t o control, Urltia further rtated that military act ion against

' the Partiranr could only be vithbeld insofar as the Partisane

desi o t ad f r o i guerrll la ver f are'. Crf t i c emphasi zed that $oms

sxohange f o r Psrri and Uemlani was mot urgent, or at least a

written Indication that aomethiw In the w a y of an exchange was

being prepared,

LXVX. 10 April. fL assured Uicholaon that nothing had been dono

which the Germans could construe as evidence that actusl negotiation*

were i n progresn, 4 6 ~ 2

Nicholeon's meoeage (See Paragraph LXIV above) I\vcm GL had been aonveysd to Pari111 md Graduate, both of whom vere returning

to Ifsraxm the bight of 10 April. c

- If the matter were not set t led by the weekend of 15 Apri l ,

35 arked advice on the poss ib i l i ty of aendlag 4'16 and LI radio

operator t o hillan in order to fac i l f ta ta aonmtmlcationcs.

LXUII. 11 April. 8 signalled llcholron that 476 vat convinced 'x ldb %- %L

. * . .

, ..

-36-

. . .

. . . . .

,

-37-

X signalled Nicholson suggesting that he

interview Mallaby who, through pereonal contact, might bo able

to firrni8h ~ u 1 evaluation of Critic's motives.

1 .

-38-

& 6 3 3 +' L

L X U I . 13 A p r i l . X signalled that P a r r i l l l wae expected t o

re turn 14 - 16 April, that Oritic ut38 fatill hopeful of reoul ts

and hail ha8 phone caL1 from the Bmperor' I new HQ.

who had 50,000 men in his command, would approve crurrender.

Von Pobl ,

LXXITI. 13 April. X r l p a l l e d that he had borroued radio

operator from Eyds and had sent him into Milan t o ~+oalntsin

contact with SU88l[SE groupn and would communicate d i rec t t o us.

Operator t o l d nothing about SUZJBISE.

i n mlnd that any maamge from him would be material reaeived from

8

I t wa8 intportant t o keep

Cr i t i c , P s r r i l l i , Graduate, e t al, end all message$ muat, therefore,

be uarefully mcreenod.

L X I V . 13 llgril. 808 wired X that after careful consideration

they dlsapprovcsd 476's proposed t r i p to Wllm.

There was no sa t i s fac tory evidence that O r i t l u had g&

v i s i t e d the Emperor, that SO3 believed there was always an even

chanoe that the German8 would attempt to mrke trouble betwoen the

Allier.

3f was &ten germirrion to &how hi8 cable $ 626 from

~ i c h o l a o a to 476.

LW, 14 April. neesage in Oarman stated that radio operator Walter

had safe17 arrived in H i l e a , asked if le t ter f o r 110 vas meant for

Crftlo. who vas 4769 Bsqueot that tho staff map of Rovereto a r o a L

. . ':. ;. .. f . . .

.*

.. , . . . . ... ... - I '

-39-

be given the Profeosor.

,

LIUEVX.

had been m a k i n g contact8 with suoh A l l i e c l secrat agenciea with

which he could get in touch.

14 A p r i l . Signal from WcEsely t o 110 s tated that Critie

On 7 April, in a meeting at Bogliaeco attended by k a s o l i n i ,

O laz i e r , Critic, Roetitiger, DoZlmann md others, it hsd been decided

to carry out A f ight ing withdrawal t o the Adige.

At sn unspeaified date, Critic had Informed one mbsource

that he knew negotiations had taken place betueen a repreasntative

of the Allied Cornand and Qraziani and Pavolini, which negotiations

were viewed with disfavor bg the German Command i~ Italy.

commented that t h i a seemed t o f i t i n with Mallaby's etory about hiu

meting with Qrazianl.

Xicholson

According t o Critic, the Gernian Command in I t a l y was afraid

of possible Gestapo r e p r l d r , and they were waiting for the

inevitable disintegration of Germany which they considered iaJninsnt.

McNeely's own view vaa that Critic hoped t o hsve it both

ways i n that, vhfle w a i t i n g for the disintegration of Germany and

planning a fighting ,witbdroval, he and other CIOSSUOBD personalities

felt they vera inrurlng themselves and at the rame time helping general

Q~rman policy by arousing Runrim suepidon of Auglo-Americsn intentionr.

LXXVII. 16 A p r i l . Message t o Hyde requestsd a l l details OD.

inatructlono given to Walter and preclrs detailrr a* to contento

of ' l e t t er .

% d 4 3 +* XeVn,

LXXVIII. 15 April. Messege in Germen from Waltor addreooeb to

Veibol i n Lucerne said c o ~ e c t i o n r with S v f 8 ~ telephone excharye

BAWUW had been good for several d,ayr.

L i h I X . 16 A p r i l . Xessege from 679 (Barrier) rtcited that Graduate

had come t o Lugano ot noon that dey, that Frofausor Humam and

Wsibel had conferred for an hour and a balf at Luzerne.

Graduate carried a gereonsl letter from Critic stating

in mbatanae that he regretted the death of President Rooawelt ; and

whatever happened X cogld count on Critic since he wa~ convinced of

the l og ic of ideas discussed ( in first meeting 19 Harch); that

in lrpite of m u dif f iaul t ieu , Critic '~OQI) convinced of the final

B U C C ~ Z I S of fitheir mutua3 effort#.

Graducbts reported that he had reached Pasano 11 April. Critic

had been "very pleaoed# with the meesage Graduate brought him (Sgs

Paragraph LXIV for Xicholwn'o suggeisted mesoago that no d r a t copy

of any capitulation oould be handed to h i m unt i l the arrival o f

paxlirrraentsircas ut an appropriate EQ).

Parano to v i s i t t3lazlar who gave them a cold reception, the reaeon

Critic aad Orkuate had left

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . ..: ' . , . .

. . '... , . ,

. . , : . .. , ~ . . , . , . /.. r.. , . . . .

-41-

being that Glae io r had heard that a British officer, --e unknownl

had contacted 8 s ta f f off icer of the 5ilr;Uriaa Corps and asked t o

be precrented t o Glazier f o r the purpose of dis,cussing surrender.

Thie Englirhmnn referred t o negotiations vhi'ch had already been

had between Glarier aad X, identifying X by Ma aorrect name.

Olaltisr did not see) the Englishman but, believing himself

betrayed, threatened t o eend a cover-up l e t t e r t o Joedl agating

that the Allier, wiuhed t o puoh negotiations but that Olaaier did

not d a h t o do ao u n t i l he ha& received Josdl'r clearance. Rrhn, I

Roettiger and C r i t i c had persuaded Glaeier aot t o send the l e t t e r .

13 A1)ri l . E l d e r cal led Critic and instructed him t o leave

immediately f o r Berlin by f a s t e s t possible meanti. Instead, Critio

e a t Himmler a l e t t e r by off icer courier stating that it vas uselem

f o r him t o aomo t o Effrdrr, that the Allied invaoion of CSerPslvly

vould bu a oomplete auccesa and that EUmmler rhould come t o Crith

and make use of exioting &lied contact8 t o Eurrendsr tha whole of

Germany t o tha Allies.

14 A g r i l , Rimmaler called Critic's HQ f i re t in the morning and

e g a n in the afternoon 88ldng why C r i t h had not arrived. Gritip'8

&Jutant t o ld h i m that Cr l t lc WSI sbaent but that a special aouriar

had been B e n t v i th a meooaga t o H i d e r ,

Qrlrduete otartod that ar i t ia was now determined t o surrender

with o r without the eonrent of Glazier. Though he waa not completsly

-42- .

. .' . '

sure of Glasrier, Critic had aeen the C h i e f Commaadem on 12 and

13 April anit felt aure they were with him regardleao of Glazier.

Critic begged X to atop my intaneified offenoive.

" f u l l responsibility and guarantee that during present week all

Be would take

would be surrenderedn.

an0 vould join Weibel, HusmaJm and Graduate to meat wfth X and

476, planning t o be in Bern late the night of 16 A p r i l .

Pari111 was waiting f o r Himmler's reply

Oauleiter Bofer, vho wa6 completely i n accord with Critic

W&P resorted t o have talked t o Hitler and Himler '12 April and

t'o have learned that they planned to stsy in Berlin and, instead

of disoussing the nreduittt, were crazily talking of a nev offensive.

' , LXXX. 16 April. firther aignal from 679 gave intelligence items

reported by Uraduate:

1. The locastion of Eilsaisr's EQ at Recoaro (South of Rovereto).

2. T h a t huff, second i n command of SS i n Italy, waa nou wholly

in aacotd with Critic.

3.

ferred f r o m C8la4ier'cr command t o Loohr'8.

h is Luftwaffe perroqpsl West of the Isonro and, subsequent t o

Crltia's letter to BimrriLnr, had blocked the Brewer with flak

t o protect egainst entry from the Wast.

?hat the territory last of the Xsr>nro River had been trans-

P~hl had place& all

Badio operator Walter was oecure in Graduate's houre in

M i l a , but that bombings were maklng l i f e and radio trsnomisrion diffioult.

c

. .

. .

LXXXI. 16 April . X oignallod for further information on Oritic's

allaged contacts uith other Allied agencies. Did Eicholeon and

McHoelt know snythfng about tho lngliahmnn who had w e d X I 8 nav

The letter given Walter by Hyde m e completely innocuous.

nov boon recovered.

I t hwd

LX3[XII.

f o r 109) nupplernented earlier report6 on the 15 A p r i l conference.

~ i e s Parngrapho LUX and LXXT above). P a s i l l i had seen Criticla

letter t o Hider whiah vas dispatched by Say16 who reached Berlin

at 1700 hour8 18 A p r i l .

17 A p r i l . 94saa1tqp from X (copy of which was sent to Paris

3. At 0700 hours 16 h r i l buff ( O r i t i o l r eecond in commend

of SS) called P a r i l l i t o taslhno uhers Venner told h i m - that after

receiving Critic's lotter, Himmlar had oel lsd Critic several timoe.

Critic had left for Berlin via Munich vhere he vas regorted t o have

arrived 1000 hours 16 A p r i l . There wa8 no confirmation of Mu

arrival in Berlin.

Oritiu had given t o Ve~ner a mesaage t o be delivered by

Fu.rri l l1 t o X f a the effect that Orftia vas going to Berlin becanre

he thought tharo -8 e chance t o do somathing for the entiro German

people. Be expected t o return 17 A p r i l . Oritfe ordered Graduate

t o wait new at the Chisroo frontier ctnd check periodically at the

EQ at Fa8aaa.

. . , , .. . ' ..

. : . .

-44-

X commented that Bimmlrr m i g h t nov eliminate Clritio;

alternatively, he might uoe Crftia. to eetablfnh some mntaat for

Blmular himself. X vould nrturally refure to b v e anything t o

do with the latter alternative.

. ..