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How were the German diplomats removed in neutral countries at wwii's end?

• Message 1. 

  Posted by oldbobg (U13641673) on Saturday, 18th October 2008

  All I hear is the Allies took control of German diplomacy at the end of WWII. Does anyone know how that happened? Were they arrested or simply sent home to a destroyed country?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by arnaldalmaric (U1756653) on Friday, 24th October 2008

  Errrmmmh.
  
  You are confusing two time frames here?
  
  1939 and 1945?
  
  "A lot" happened in those years?
  
  AA.
  
  Sorry, in answer, the German Diplomats buggered off to Berlin in 1939, if you look at history you have to ask who won?
  

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  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Saturday, 25th October 2008

  All I hear is the Allies took control of German diplomacy at the end of WWII. Does anyone know how that happened? Were they arrested or simply sent home to a destroyed country? 
  
  Fascinating question oldbobg.
  
  There doesn't seem to be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to your question. Much depended on the country in question and indeed upon the personal circumstances of the individual.
  
  Generally, however, it seems that the Allies (as the new state authority in Germany) demanded that the diplomats in neutral countries be extradited to their custody. One thing is for sure that after Germany’s surrender the diplomats could no longer draw an official salary and their diplomatic status would have either transferred or lapsed. Diplomatic buildings (such as the German Legation in Bern, Switzerland for example) were placed under seal.
  
  It is all very complicated (but intriguing!) stuff under international law.
  
  Here are a few case studies:
  
  Oswald von Heune-Hoyningen was the German Minister in Lisbon. Portugal had remained neutral during the war but in 1945 von Heune-Hoyningen voluntarily surrendered himself to the US authorities who questioned him at Wiesbaden and then released him.
  
  Eduard Hempel was the Director of the German Diplomatic Corps in Dublin. Hempel was famously visited by Irish Prime Minister Eamon de Valera (and was also visited by Douglas Hyde the President of the Free State) following Hitler’s death. Despite Germany’s surrender and a US request in 1946 that Hempel be repatriated to Germany de Valera refused to return him on ‘compassionate grounds’. Presumably Hempel was unwell – but what exactly his status was under Irish law (asylum seeker?) or how he funded his income is not clear. Hempel eventually returned to Germany in 1949. Whether this was as a result of the adoption of the Republic of Ireland Act on 18 April that year or as a result of the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany on 23 May or both or neither – again is not clear.
  
  Hans Thomsen was the German Minister in Stockholm from 1943-5. He was interrogated by the Allies in Germany and was released.
  
  Ernst von Weizsäcker was Ambassador to the Holy See (1944-5). He hid after the Allied occupation of Rome but was later arrested in 1947. He was tried at Nuremburg, charged with 8 counts and was convicted on 6. He was released from prison in 1950 and died the following year.
  
  These are only some of the main characters. There were, of course, many other members of staff in the various legations each with differing personal stories. Some were even US or Soviet spies.

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