Memorandum by Joseph P. Walshe concerning the release of German internees

Last evening at 8 p.m., the Minister for Defence, the Secretary of the Department of Defence, the Adjutant-General,¹ Dr. Rynne and myself discussed with the Taoiseach the departure of the German service internees.

After having examined the difficulties for some two hours, the Taoiseach decided that

1. the date of the departure should be postponed until he had an opportunity of discussing the entire matter once more with Sir John Maffey whom he wished to see on Monday next, the 30th July;
2. the internees should be told informally by the officer in charge of them at the Curragh that they would be leaving at an early date. There was no need to make a general statement; it was rather a question of spreading the news by talking with two or three of them. They should be told that the time had come for them to return to their own country and that it was naturally assumed that they desired to do so; and
3. I was to inform Sir John Maffey immediately about the postponement and the Taoiseach's desire to see him on Monday. When talking to Sir John Maffey, I should not conceal that it was only a question of a postponement.

Following the Taoiseach's instructions, I informed Sir John Maffey of the position and arranged that he should come to see the Taoiseach on Monday next. He was not in the least perturbed or disappointed, but he seemed highly relieved when I added that it was only a question of postponement, saying that he would be very glad when the internees were back in Germany. They might so easily become a source of friction if they were detained too long in this country.

The Taoiseach, on his return from Lough Derg,² will receive a report from the military authorities on the reaction amongst the internees to the news that they are to leave at an early date. He will then see Sir John Maffey and the arrangements thereafter will follow the general lines of those already made. The boat would reach the Liffey early in the morning and would depart with the internees not later than 6.30 a.m. The men would be told to liquidate their belongings and to leave their money in a Post Office or other Savings Bank. They were to be given a full day's rations for the journey.

As Dr. Hempel is employing three of the internees, the Taoiseach will see him and inform him of the Government's intentions.