Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - We begin our Work in Germany
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the best of terms after Clay had promised to take
up the matter in the Allied Control Council.
In the years since, I have had the opportunity of
meeting General Clay several times again, and I have
been able to revise the impression I received at our
first meeting, when he took a negative attitude
toward the question of aid to the German people.
As a matter of fact, he has been extremely helpful
and cooperative in facilitating our work, even if,
in principle, he has always held the opinion that
foreign organizations, for practical reasons, should
not perform relief work in the American Zone.
America itself has such great resources, that the help a
little country like Sweden could give might seem
insignificant in American eyes. In this connection,
it should be kept in mind that the general American
attitude toward the question of aid to Germany,
during the three years following the Armistice, has
become more and more positive.
It was quite natural that I should look forward
with great expectation to the meeting with the
Russian General Smirnov, who, at that time, was acting
chief of the garrison in Berlin. I had never before
been in contact with any of the Russian generals and
neither was I accustomed to negociate through an
interpreter. In this case it was necessary, as Smirnov
spoke no other language than Russian. Our discussion
was characterized by a marked friendliness and
frankness on the part of the Russian officers. I was
especially impressed by the fact that General
Smirnov, who was totally unprepared on the subject we
discussed, immediately went to a safe and fetched
109
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