Nr.  86a:  Telegramm  des  britischen  Botschafters  in  Paris  Hubert  Miles  Jebb
an  das  britische  Außenministerium,  immediate  and  confidential.2
24.10.1955
National  Archives  -  Foreign  Office,  FO  371/118292/WG  1082/569.
The  Saar.
On  Secretary  of  State’s  instructions,  preliminary  German  and  French  views  on
result  of  the  referendum  have  been  obtained.
2.  Hallstein,  speaking  without  instructions,  told  Caccia  that  he  considered  decisive
result  of  referendum  as  a  vote  of  no  confidence  in  Herr  Hoffman  [sic]  and  that
Referendum  Commission  would  not  question  issue.  He  thought  Hoffman  [sic]
should  resign  immediately  and  a  caretaker  government  composed  of  officials  or
non-controversial  figures  assume  office  until  new  elections,  which  he  considered
essential  at  an  early  date.  Trade  Union  leaders  in  the  Saar  had  warned  him  that  any
attempt  to  ban  pro-German  parties  would  immediately  lead  to  general  strike  and
serious  disorder.
3.  He  accepted  that  French  position  of  return  to  the  status  quo  was  juridically
correct  and  that  this  removed  treaty  right  of  W.E.U.  to  intervene.  But  he  greatly
hoped  that  W.E.U.  would  continue  to  take  friendly  interest  in  Saar  question  as
matter  of  political  realism  and  he  thought  there  were  words  in  the  amended
Brussels  Treaty  which  could  provide  for  this.  But  he  recognised  that  any  such
action  could  only  be  undertaken  at  instance  of  French  and  German  Governments.
4.  Hallstein  agreed  that  new  elections  might  lead  to  a  pan-German  Government
which  would  demand  immediate  union  with  Germany,  thus  embarrassing  Federal
Government  in  view  of  the  line  Chancellor  had  taken.  He  thought  this  danger  might
now  be  met  if  conversations  were  held  with  the  heads  of  German  parties  before  the
elections.  Perhaps  W.E.U.  might  be  able  to  help  in  this  matter  through  M.
Dehousse  who,  in  his  capacity  as  chairman  of  the  Referendum  Commission,  had
been  in  habit  of  seeing  leaders  of  German  parties  almost  daily.  But  he  had  no  idea
whether  M.  Dehousse  or  other  members  of  Commission  would  be  ready  to
undertake  this  task.  He  was  only  clear  that  it  would  be  difficult  for  the  Federal
Government  to  do  this.
5.  Please  see  my  immediately  following  telegram.

2 Das  Telegramm  wurde  außerdem  weitergeleitet  an  die  britischen  Vertretungen  in  Bonn,
Washington,  Straßburg,  Brüssel,  Den  Haag,  Rom  und  Luxemburg.

528