Foreign Office (Germany)

Government

The Foreign Office (abbr. AA) is the foreign ministry of Germany, a federal agency responsible for both the country's foreign politics and its relationship with the European Union. From 1871 to 1919, it was led by a Foreign Secretary, and since 1919, it has been led by the Foreign Minister of Germany. Since 2009, Guido Westerwelle has served as Foreign ...

Read more at Wikipedia

Documents about Foreign Office (Germany)

Monday 8th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: Cabinet discusses Scandinavian neutrality and the personal motives of US Ambassador Kennedy
person Adolf Hitler
place Greece
place Narvik
place Stockholm
place Tokyo
place Denmark
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Thursday 8th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax to ministers: “hope of peace without a blood bath”, Stafford Cripps reports Soviets “uneasy” with Nazi alliance
person Stafford Cripps
person Adolf Hitler
person Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Halifax Peninsula
place Moscow
place Europe
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
place Iran
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation Labour Party (UK)
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on recent meetings: Churchill’s “glee” and “rush tactics”. Foreign Secretary “not having any”
person Winston Churchill
place Finland
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill anxious to mine Norwegian territorial waters
place Finland
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: Russia informs UK of required terms for settlement with Finland. Halifax to urge dialogue
place Great Britain
place Murmansk
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Helsinki
place Iran
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

Scandinavia.

extract Lord Halifax proposes to inform French that Britain no longer supports plan to occupy Norwegian ports
place Finland
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Monday 4th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Rumours of new German bomber operating at 35,000 feet. Unity Mitford refused permission to move to Scottish island
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Aruba
place Finland
place Iceland
place Caribbean
place Rome
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Military implications of hostilities with Russia in 1940.

extract Chiefs of Staff report on "military implications of hostilities with Russia in 1940"
place Great Britain
place Afghanistan
place Murmansk
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Narvik
place Turkey
place Basra
place Syria
place West Germany
place Iran
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM on Sumner Welles mission: “aiming for the impossible”. No peace without “real change of outlook in Germany”
person Sumner Welles
person Adolf Hitler
person Harold Wilson
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Halifax Peninsula
place Singapore
place Europe
place Berlin
place Rome
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Canadian Forces Maritime Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet resolves to order dispersal of ground forces prepared for Scandinavian expedition within hours
place Finland
place Narvik
place West Germany
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Paul Reynaud likely to be new Prime Minister of France. No change in policy apparent after Hitler-Mussolini meeting
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Adolf Hitler
place South Africa
place Great Britain
place Paris
place Rome
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Home Fleet
 

Policy to be adopted towards Norway and Sweden in consequence of their attitude during the Finnish War.

extract Halifax concerned French plans against Norway will alienate neutrals. Suggests speaking “frankly” to Norway and Sweden
place Great Britain
place Finland
place East Germany
place Halifax Peninsula
place Narvik
place Europe
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Publicity in Enemy Countries.

extract Halifax reports progress of leaflet dropping by RAF. “Produced considerable effect…even Germans cannot resist a picture”
person Richard Kiel
person Adolf Hitler
place Finland
place Paris
place Berlin
place Vienna
place Denmark
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Certain Operations in Norwegian Territorial Waters.

extract Chiefs of Staff consider countermeasures to German response to mining operations including German invasion of Norway
place Trondheim
place Oslo
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Monday 1st April 1940

Broadcasting during daylight to Germany and other Countries of Europe.

extract Information Minister requests approval for construction of radio mast on east coast to beam propaganda to the continent
place Great Britain
place Iceland
place Europe
place Denmark
place Czechoslovakia
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Chamberlain defers decision on prize money for the Navy to the end of the war
extract French War Minister Daladier continues to resist Rhine mining operation. PM Chamberlain to personally intervene
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Neville Chamberlain
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Department of State
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation Scapa
organisation French Air Force
 

Monday 27th May 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM argues Air Ministry exaggerating extent of German air superiority. Praises Hurricane as “fine fighting machine”
extract Naval vessels standing by for re-embarkation in Dunkirk area. “Awaiting information" on points selected for operation.”
extract Belgian line near Comines Canal in “grave danger of collapse”. British 5th and 48th divisions sent to reinforce
extract Troops in Calais “still holding out with great gallantry”. Evacuated troops replaced by “other men of the same unit”
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon
place South Africa
place Dunkirk
place Narvik
place Paris
place South America
place West Germany
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Belgian Land Component
 

Tuesday 11th June 1940

Plans to meet a certain eventuality.

extract Chiefs of Staff circulate strategy for obtaining more cooperation from US and how UK might respond to an occupied France
place Paris
place Washington
place West Germany
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Royal Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: "No confirmation" of report of Soviet forces massing on the frontier of East Prussia
extract Report Swiss government to capitulate to military coup, allowing German troops free passage. Halifax: "A wild story"
extract BEF no longer under overall French command. "Grave risk" if French agree Armistice force "involved and unable to escape"
extract General Brooke reports that organised resistance in France has "come to an end". French army "disintegrating"
extract Roosevelt says his message "in no sense" promised US military action. PM: "Nothing short" of this will sustain France
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person Adolf Hitler
place Iraq
place Turkey
place Malta
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Congress
 

Friday 12th July 1940

Policy in the Far East.

extract Foreign Office conclude Japan "unlikely to resort to total war". Japan "cautious", uncertain of US intervention in region
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Hong Kong
place Europe
place Thailand
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Department of State
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Secretary requests leave for the Army be resumed "on a limited scale". Stoppage having "bad effect". Cabinet approves
extract Air Chief: Overnight enemy action slight. Minelaying in Thames Estuary, Harwich areas, attacks on Bristol, Kent, Suffolk
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Guernsey
place Halifax Peninsula
place Malta
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Kenya
place Bristol
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Aliens.

extract Attlee calls management of aliens in UK "not work appropriate for the Home Office". Proposes new committee to organise
person Charles de Gaulle
place Europe
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: “We delude ourselves” if we think Russia will “by proper treatment be made a warm friend of this country”
extract Halifax: Resuming relations with France unlikely in view of UK bombing, blockade, leaflet drops. Not of great importance
extract Lord Halifax speaking to junior ministers. Tells meeting “We might now be at the turning point of the war”
person Charles de Gaulle
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Adolf Hitler
person Farouk of Egypt
place Great Britain
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Singapore
place Europe
place Burma
place West Germany
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Thursday 8th August 1940

Meeting minutes

extract King George VI: My peoples "would rather all perish in the common ruin than fall or falter in their duty"
extract Halifax circulates draft rejection by King George of offer of mediation between UK and Germany by King Gustav of Sweden
extract PM Churchill: "We could never stand by and see a British Dominion overwhelmed by a yellow race"
extract PM: Invasion of Australia "could be retrieved" by USA. "In the last resort" UK would "abandon" Mediterranean and Mid-East
extract PM: We hope "to avoid war" but it could occur "at any moment". "Opening moves" likely to be against Hong Kong, Singapore
extract Churchill outlines policy in the event of Japanese aggression: UK Fleet needed in Mediterranean "to beat the Italians"
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Neville Chamberlain
place Great Britain
place Egypt
place Fiji
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Alexandria
place Africa
place Republic of China
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Wednesday 11th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Air Secretary to consider reprisals against one of 20 named German towns if indiscriminate attacks on London continue
extract Air Chief: Overnight raids on Germany "on the whole successful". Potsdam Station (Berlin) attacked, 6 direct hits claimed
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Maxime Weygand
person Clement Attlee
place Halifax Peninsula
place Sudan
place Berlin
place Kenya
place Morocco
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Swiss to issue further "stiff protest" over RAF violations of their airspace. Foreign Office and Air Ministry to discuss
extract Home Secretary "most grateful" for the increased support. City of London has escaped serious damage two nights running
extract Air Secretary: London anti-aircraft defence "being more than doubled". Third of raiders turned back by barrage last night
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Clement Attlee
place Turin
place Gibraltar
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Policy towards the Vichy Government.

extract Admiralty urges an end to conflict with Vichy: "Our naval strength is already inadequate for fighting Germany and Italy"
place Gibraltar
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Navy
 

Wednesday 2nd October 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax to examine ways UK can inconvenience Japan "without ceasing to act politely". Trade interference already begun
extract PM: Reports of "indescribable conditions" in public shelter in Stepney. "Drastic action" called for to make building safe
extract Home Secretary: Outside London "most serious attacks" on Manchester. "Lucky hits" on railways. Details not yet available
extract Air Chief: 250 enemy aircraft attacked overnight. London main objective also Midlands, S.Wales. Oil plant at Purfleet hit
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Charles de Gaulle
person Samuel Hoare
person Clement Attlee
place South Africa
place Somaliland
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Morocco
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

German-Italian-Japanese Treaty.

extract Halifax: Three Power Pact means UK "must show a solid front" with US in Far East even if Japan move "huge piece of bluff"
person Joseph Stalin
person Adolf Hitler
place Moscow
place Europe
place Republic of China
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: "Pessimistic" over Greek resistance. "Not particularly sanguine" about USSR. Spain "another source of anxiety"
extract Halifax meets junior ministers. M. Petain wants "to be friendly with us" but UK has made "many mistakes of psychology"
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Francisco Franco
person Maxime Weygand
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Washington
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place Republic of China
place Rome
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Monday 18th November 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Chancellor: Greeks have misunderstood Treasury's position. UK offering "them more than they had asked". First advance £5m
extract Halifax: Greek government "keenly disappointed" by "ungenerous attitude" of UK Treasury in supplying financial aid
extract Morrison: Local people "shaken" and "bitter" but "kept their heads". King's visit "of the utmost value" recovering morale
extract Morrison: Damage to munitions production in Coventry less extensive than feared but water and gas positions "bad"
extract PM Churchill: Clear we cannot increase our air reinforcements to Greece beyond what we have already arranged to send
extract General Dill: Greeks have crossed Albanian border, captured town of Bilishti. General Papagos requests more air support
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Stafford Cripps
place Athens
place Greece
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Albania
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Navy
organisation BBC
 

Saturday 14th December 1940

Assembly of aircraft for Chinese Government British Territory.

extract Halifax explores how UK may supply China with aircraft from India without breaching Hague Convention, Japanese neutrality
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Russian Empire
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Thailand
place Washington
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

The Position in Spain.

extract Hoare: Do not expect gratitude or common sense, much less political sense. UK will "face endless gaffes and provocations"
extract Hoare: "If it is any comfort...they treat their own people even worse than they treat foreign Governments"
extract UK Ambassador Madrid Samuel Hoare to Lord Halifax: "I am really getting hopeless over the Spanish position"
person Samuel Hoare
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Madrid, New York
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

British Broadcasting Corporation.

extract Chancellor recommends government strengthens grip on BBC but stops short of saying it “should assume complete control”
person Kingsley Wood
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation BBC
 

Saturday 4th January 1941

The question of bombing the Roumanian Oilfields.

extract Eden: Any attack on Roumania's oilfields would "certainly" put the lives of British embassy staff in Bucharest at risk
person Anthony Eden
place Greece
place Turkey
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: News from Bulgaria "disquieting". A number of indications government coming "under strong pressure from Germany"
extract PM: Attack "brilliantly executed", casualties "extraordinarily small". No need to emphasise there was not "much fighting"
extract General Dill: 25,000 prisoners taken at capture of Bardia "including 2 Corps Commanders and 4 Senior Generals"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Gibraltar
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
place Libya
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Wednesday 5th February 1941

Co-operation with the Netherlands East Indies.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden proposes mutual defence pact with Dutch East Indies and Burma, Malaya and Borneo
person Anthony Eden
place Hong Kong
place Burma
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Government of Canada
 

Developments at Vichy.

extract Eden: "Germans will stand no more delaying tactics from Marshal Petain". Renewed pressure for their use of French fleet
person Anthony Eden
person Maxime Weygand
person Adolf Hitler
place Paris
place Tunisia
place Syria
place Toulon
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation French Navy
 

Political and economic relations with Belgium.

extract Eden: Belgian government willing to pool gold reserves with us in exchange for trade concessions after the war
person Anthony Eden
place Great Britain
place Europe
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cadogan: General Franco refused "abject appeal for help" from Signor Mussolini at their recent meeting
extract Remaining UK assets in America to be given to US government. PM: We will receive "far more than we could possibly give"
extract PM: Japan offers to mediate between Hitler and ourselves. Will make clear our war purpose is the eradication of Hitlerism
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Duff Cooper
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Francisco Franco
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Adolf Hitler
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Cranborne
place Africa
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Committee on Reconstruction Problems.

extract PM establishes committee on postwar reconstruction. Aim "to secure equality of opportunity and service among all classes"
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Thursday 6th March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM Menzies concerned over Greece operation. All new factors add to difficulties, no reason offered why it should succeed
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Republic of Macedonia
place Greece
place Egypt
place Belgrade
place Turkey
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Presentation of the Lincoln copy of the Magna Charta to the American Nation.

extract Foreign Office proposes Lincoln Cathedral copy of Magna Carta be given to US to celebrate signing of Lease-Lend Act
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Wednesday 23rd April 1941

Conditions in Poland.

extract Eden circulates letter from exiled Polish President to Pope: "Millions of human beings are threatened with extermination"
person Anthony Eden
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Monday 12th May 1941

Co-operation with the Netherlands Government regarding mutual support in the event of Japanese aggression.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden recommends UK supports Netherlands in the event of Japanese aggression against Dutch East Indies
person Anthony Eden
place New Caledonia
place Singapore
place Europe
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Future of Cyprus.

extract Eden: "Strong case" for ceding Cyprus to Greece after war. Suggest talks now to avoid German offer to "quisling" Athens
person Anthony Eden
place Great Britain
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Malta
place Cyprus
place Alexandria
place Syria
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Saturday 21st June 1941

Information and Propaganda.

extract Beaverbrook: Ministry of Information to "root-hog or die". Must "take firm control" of BBC, give editorial direction
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)