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THE BERLIN CRISIS:
4
Report on the Moscow Discussions, 1948
5
On June 11 the Soviet authorities stopped all eastbound railway
and Soviet sector plants to the Western sectors. Shortage of coal
traffic at the entrance point (Helmstedt) but resumed accepting traffic
was given as a reason for this measure.
to Berlin on the next day.
Soviet traffic restrictions issued on June 19 were followed by sub-
On June 12 the Soviet authorities announced the closing of the Elbe
sequent prohibitions in the following week. West-bound road traf-
Bridge on the Autobahn between Berlin and the West for repairs. A
fic only was still permitted for a time, subject to Soviet control at
detour and ferry service were arranged.
check points. Mail and parcel post traffic was completely suspended.
On June 16 the Soviet Delegation walked out of the Allied Kom-
On June 24, because of these unacceptable restrictions, the American
mandatura of Berlin.
and British authorities ordered all freight trains from US and British
After the announcement on June 18 of the currency reform for all
zones to the Soviet zone stopped. Traffic from the East continued to
of Western Germany (but not Western sectors of Berlin), the Soviet
be accepted.
authorities on June 19 suspended all passenger train traffic between
On June 24 the Soviet authorities issued orders prohibiting the dis-
Western and Eastern zones. All road traffic from Western zones into
tribution of any supplies from the Soviet zone to the Western séctors
the Soviet zone, including traffic on the Autobahn to Berlin, was also
of Berlin thereby violating a Four Power agreement for supplying
stopped. Incoming rail freight was reduced in volume by change of
Berlin from a common pool. The Western powers thereupon forbade
technical procedures and water transport was subject to stricter
distribution of any supplies from Western sources to the Soviet sector
regulations.
of Berlin.
The French Commandant, Chairman of the Berlin Kommandatura,
On June 26 General Robertson in a letter to Marshal Sokolovsky
invited on June 19 the other members to a special meeting to discuss
protested against interruption of essential freight traffic between
the effects of the currency reform on Berlin, but the Soviet member
Berlin and the West.
declined the invitation.
On June 29 Marshal Sokolovsky answered General Robertson's let-
On June 22 at the request of the three Western powers, a quadri-
ter. He described the restrictions on interzonal passenger traffic as
partite meeting of financial and economic advisers took place in Berlin
connected with the currency exchange and announced the re-establish-
to discuss the problem of currency for Berlin. The Soviet representa-
ment of rail facilities for movement of the German population. He
tive insisted that there could be no currency for Berlin different from
declared that the restrictions on motor traffic must be retained to pre-
the currency of the surrounding Soviet zone. They would not accede
vent conveyance to Berlin of currency from the Western zones. He
to quadripartite control of the currency for Berlin. Immediately
announced that the technical defects on the railroad line were in
after the meeting the Soviet authorities issued their orders for cur-
process of elimination and his expectation that traffic would recom-
rency reform in the Soviet zone and all of Berlin.
mence as soon as possible. He protested against British stoppage of
In view of the inability to obtain agreement on a currency for
freight train movements between the Soviet and the British zones.
Berlin under quadripartite control, the Western allies informed the
General Robertson answered this letter on July 3, stressing the posi-
Soviet authorities of their intention to introduce into the Western
tive elements of the letter and reiterating his willingness to discuss
sectors of Berlin the new Deutsche mark of the Western zones (over-
use of one currency in Berlin. He repeated his request for resumption
stamped "B" for Berlin). The public announcement was made on
of normal transportation facilities between Berlin and the West.
June 23.
On July 3, Generals Robertson, Noiret and Clay visited Marshal
On June 23 the Soviet authorities suspended all railroad passenger
Sokolovsky. General Robertson inquired what the technical difficul-
and freight traffic into Berlin, because of alleged "technical difficul-
ties were which according to Sokolovsky's letter were holding up
ties" on the Berlin-Helmstedt rail line. They also stopped barge
train traffic. He asked for assurance that traffic could be resumed at
traffic on similar grounds.
an early date, and when. He further drew attention to the fact that
Shortly before midnight of June 23 the Soviet authorities issued
no alternative routes had been made available. Marshal Sokolovsky
orders to the Berlin central electric switch-control station (located
stated that the question raised by Robertson was important to the
in their sector) to disrupt delivery of electric power from Soviet zone
Western allies and that they wanted it treated alone, whereas there
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"ocrText": "THE BERLIN CRISIS:\n4\nReport on the Moscow Discussions, 1948\n5\nOn June 11 the Soviet authorities stopped all eastbound railway\nand Soviet sector plants to the Western sectors. Shortage of coal\ntraffic at the entrance point (Helmstedt) but resumed accepting traffic\nwas given as a reason for this measure.\nto Berlin on the next day.\nSoviet traffic restrictions issued on June 19 were followed by sub-\nOn June 12 the Soviet authorities announced the closing of the Elbe\nsequent prohibitions in the following week. West-bound road traf-\nBridge on the Autobahn between Berlin and the West for repairs. A\nfic only was still permitted for a time, subject to Soviet control at\ndetour and ferry service were arranged.\ncheck points. Mail and parcel post traffic was completely suspended.\nOn June 16 the Soviet Delegation walked out of the Allied Kom-\nOn June 24, because of these unacceptable restrictions, the American\nmandatura of Berlin.\nand British authorities ordered all freight trains from US and British\nAfter the announcement on June 18 of the currency reform for all\nzones to the Soviet zone stopped. Traffic from the East continued to\nof Western Germany (but not Western sectors of Berlin), the Soviet\nbe accepted.\nauthorities on June 19 suspended all passenger train traffic between\nOn June 24 the Soviet authorities issued orders prohibiting the dis-\nWestern and Eastern zones. All road traffic from Western zones into\ntribution of any supplies from the Soviet zone to the Western séctors\nthe Soviet zone, including traffic on the Autobahn to Berlin, was also\nof Berlin thereby violating a Four Power agreement for supplying\nstopped. Incoming rail freight was reduced in volume by change of\nBerlin from a common pool. The Western powers thereupon forbade\ntechnical procedures and water transport was subject to stricter\ndistribution of any supplies from Western sources to the Soviet sector\nregulations.\nof Berlin.\nThe French Commandant, Chairman of the Berlin Kommandatura,\nOn June 26 General Robertson in a letter to Marshal Sokolovsky\ninvited on June 19 the other members to a special meeting to discuss\nprotested against interruption of essential freight traffic between\nthe effects of the currency reform on Berlin, but the Soviet member\nBerlin and the West.\ndeclined the invitation.\nOn June 29 Marshal Sokolovsky answered General Robertson's let-\nOn June 22 at the request of the three Western powers, a quadri-\nter. He described the restrictions on interzonal passenger traffic as\npartite meeting of financial and economic advisers took place in Berlin\nconnected with the currency exchange and announced the re-establish-\nto discuss the problem of currency for Berlin. The Soviet representa-\nment of rail facilities for movement of the German population. He\ntive insisted that there could be no currency for Berlin different from\ndeclared that the restrictions on motor traffic must be retained to pre-\nthe currency of the surrounding Soviet zone. They would not accede\nvent conveyance to Berlin of currency from the Western zones. He\nto quadripartite control of the currency for Berlin. Immediately\nannounced that the technical defects on the railroad line were in\nafter the meeting the Soviet authorities issued their orders for cur-\nprocess of elimination and his expectation that traffic would recom-\nrency reform in the Soviet zone and all of Berlin.\nmence as soon as possible. He protested against British stoppage of\nIn view of the inability to obtain agreement on a currency for\nfreight train movements between the Soviet and the British zones.\nBerlin under quadripartite control, the Western allies informed the\nGeneral Robertson answered this letter on July 3, stressing the posi-\nSoviet authorities of their intention to introduce into the Western\ntive elements of the letter and reiterating his willingness to discuss\nsectors of Berlin the new Deutsche mark of the Western zones (over-\nuse of one currency in Berlin. He repeated his request for resumption\nstamped \"B\" for Berlin). The public announcement was made on\nof normal transportation facilities between Berlin and the West.\nJune 23.\nOn July 3, Generals Robertson, Noiret and Clay visited Marshal\nOn June 23 the Soviet authorities suspended all railroad passenger\nSokolovsky. General Robertson inquired what the technical difficul-\nand freight traffic into Berlin, because of alleged \"technical difficul-\nties were which according to Sokolovsky's letter were holding up\nties\" on the Berlin-Helmstedt rail line. They also stopped barge\ntrain traffic. He asked for assurance that traffic could be resumed at\ntraffic on similar grounds.\nan early date, and when. He further drew attention to the fact that\nShortly before midnight of June 23 the Soviet authorities issued\nno alternative routes had been made available. Marshal Sokolovsky\norders to the Berlin central electric switch-control station (located\nstated that the question raised by Robertson was important to the\nin their sector) to disrupt delivery of electric power from Soviet zone\nWestern allies and that they wanted it treated alone, whereas there"
}