Romania to Deport Jews Despite American Objection

Adviser for Jewish Questions Bucharest, 24 Sept. 42
Minister von Killinger SECRET
At home

Re: The letter of the American government to the Romanian government concerning the treatment of the Jews in Romania.

It has been learned from well-informed circles of the Romanian secret police that the Swiss legation in Bucharest recently passed on a letter of protest by the United States to the Romanian government addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Antonescu. In this very forcefully worded letter, signed by Secretary of State Hull, the United States stated its attitude against the deportation of the Jews from Romania to Transnistria. In this letter the American government threatens that if the deportation of Jews of Romanian nationality, which it supposes is being carried out on German orders, is not stopped, reprisals will be taken in America against Romanians living in that country.

The Ministerial Council meeting on 16 September, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Antonescu, also dealt with the letter of protest by the government of the USA against the deportation of Jews to Transnistria. After detailed discussions within the Ministerial Council, and after the explanations by the Secretary of the Interior, General Popescu, and Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Antonescu, the Ministerial Council decided on the total solution of the Jewish Problem in Romania in accordance with the previous decisions, taking no notice whatsoever of external intervention.

[signed]
(Richter)
SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer

Source: Jean Ancel, "Plans for Deportation of the Romanian Jews and their Discontinuation in Light of Documentary Evidence (July-October 1942)," Yad Vashem Studies, Vol. 16, 1984, pp. 398—399.

Source: Yad Vashem