In September, 1940, the United Kingdom Foreign Office asked Mr. Massey⁶ if we would take Strasser in before his permit to remain in Portugal expired on Octo­ber 2nd, 1940, (thus saving him from the Gestapo). The British Secret Service told the R.C.M.P. he might be most useful in Canada, apparently, to head a Free Ger­man Movement here and in the United States. For humanitarian reasons, for rea­sons of prestige, and with the sponsorship of the United Kingdom Government, it was agreed to admit him on the assumption that he had means of financial support.

2. Gradually Strasser lost the United Kingdom sponsorship, which became disfa­vour, as Strasser's anti‑Soviet propaganda became embarrassing. His activities were curtailed and his source of revenue dried up.

3. Strasser landed at Saint John, N.B., on April 8th† 1941, from Bermuda as a political refugee. His entry into Canada was permitted primarily on humanitarian grounds but also partly to prevent Hitler from extracting prestige from the capture of a renegade German whom the Allies were powerless to help. The United States was then neutral and Strasser was not able to go there. The United Kingdom was obviously unable to play host under the conditions of 1940‑41 and Canada agreed to accept him.

4. In September, 1945, Strasser was pressing two suits:

        (a) for permission to enter the United States for an operation;

        (b) for travel documents to travel to Switzerland.

Both were pressed with varying degrees of vigor until suit (b) was rejected on July 18th† 1947, after consultation with the United Kingdom. On suit (a) we agreed to re‑admit Strasser after his visit to the United States but on November 25t† 1947,he informed the Department that the United States had refused to permit him to enter. At the same time he renewed suit (b).

5. On September 24th, 1948, in a talk with Mr. Chance he produced a letter from the French Consul in Winnipeg promising a a visa. He then gave notice of his intention to apply for a travel document to enable him to go to France. The applica­tion came on November 19th, 1948. On December 13th, 1948, we asked the United Kingdom, United States and French Governments for their views. Replies were all unfavourable.

6. Strasser, unfortunately, could provide leadership for reviving German national­ism. His writing and personal testimony lead one to believe that a Strasser‑led party would not be in the interests of German stability.

T.W.L. M[ACDERMOT]

⁶Vincent Massey, alors haul‑commissaire au Royaume‑Uni.
Vincent Massey, then High Commissioner in the United Kingdom.