Evening star., 1939-10-09
S7th YEAR. No. 34,859.
Reich Launches Repatriation
Of Eastern European Germans;
British Delay Aims Statement
Over 2, l20,0 900 in
Baltic and Balkan
Areas Involved

Areas Involved
Germany appeared today to be
launching a broad-scale program of
repatriation of German blood resi-
dents from seven Eastern European
countries, an action which promised
alleviation of German minority
problems with those countries.
This was in accordance with
Chancellor Hitler's declaration in
his Reichstag speech last Friday
that "the east and south Of Europe
is to large extent filled with splin-
ters of German nationality, whose
existence they cannot maintain"
In his Reichstag speech Hitler
said Germanys most important task
in Poland was establishment of "a
new order of ethnographic (raciaD
conditions-that is to say, resettle-
ment OF nationalities.
More than 100000 Germans were
involved in this prospective mass
movement back to the Reich from
Rumania. Yugoslavia and Hungary,
while another 10000 living in Es-
tonia, Latvia and Lithuania also
were affected, the Associated Press
said. An unestimated number re-
siding in Soviet Russia also was
believed to be included in the plans.
First Effort in Baltic.
The first concrete effort toward
returning these outlying bits of
German nationality to the Reich
was being made IN the Baltic area,
Germany was working on plans for
negotiation with these small states
for the transfers.
From Riga, Latvia. it was reported
that Germany would open negotia-
tions today or tomorrow, and several
German transports had already ar
rived at Libau and Windau, Latvian
ports, to return Germans to the
Reich,
A dispatch from Tallinn, Estonia,
said that German steamships also
had arrived there to help in re-
moving Germans and that a Ger
man commission was en- route there
to discuss details of the repatriation.
The chief difficulty in the Baltic
area appeared to be the question
of how to recompense these Ger
mans for property, especially real
estate, that they would leave behind
and how to effect the transfer of
their capital assets without embar-
RAISING the economy and finance
of the Baltic states on the one
hand and Germany on the other.
Reich to Pay Expenses.
Associated Press dispatches said
plan had been advanced whereby
Germany would pay expenses for
transporting as many of the Ger
mans now residing in Rumania,
Yugoslavia and Hungary as wish to
settle what were Western Poland
and Czecho-Slovakia.
Soviet Russia was said to have in
formed Germany confidentially that
to make room for repatriated Ger
mans in these areas she would admit
Czechs and Slovaks who were willing
to emigrate to Russian farms or in
dustrial areas.
Latest census figures place the
number of Germans in Rumania
at nearly 100000. of which nearly
225 900 reside in Pennsylvania, $780,
600 in Banat. 10000 in Bukovina and
100 900 in Bessarabia.
Hungarys German population is
placed at 100000 to 100000, and
Yugoslavia's 100000 to 100000.
Reich officials estimated there
were 10000 Germans in Latvia, 49,
0OG to 10000 in Estonia and 10000
In Lithuania, the countries under
immediate consideration for repa-
trlatlon negotiations. Some German
families were said to have moved
to the Reich without waiting for
official settlement of the problems
involved.
German Holdings Big in Latvia.
Latvia, it was understood. esti-
mated the value of possessions in
German hands there at 100000, 900
reichsmarks (about $500, 900 ,OO0).
Another question to be settled was
that of German families claiming
to have lived in the same place
for centuries and not desiring to
migrate. There was no clear an
swer to the question whether Ger
many would disinterest herself in
such persons or whether possible in
jury to them would still excite the
wrath of Hitler as protector of all
Germans.
All signs pointed to the fact that
Germany and the Baltic states
would act quickly and decisively on
the matter of transfer of Germans
and not wait for details, which
would retard the operations. Some
form of option would be granted
these Germans, however, it was said.
The question Of transferring Ger
mans in Soviet Russia would be
taken up considerably later, it was
intimated.
Dispatches from Riga, Latvia,
Saturday told of German request
Tor Latvian consent to removal of
Germans. 1t was understood Latvia
would not refuse. but might require
. treaty covering the transfer.
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