German embassy in London

[Moonraker]

What happened to the German Embassy in London after the ambassador and his staff left in 1914? Did it continue to have diplomatic status? Was it shut up completely (or was there a caretaker)?

 

To be honest, these are idle questions that came to mind when I was reading a WWII book. Googling gives a little historical background to the building, and The Times has passing references to Friedrich Sthamer, announcing his appointment as charge d'affaires in its edition of December 17, 1919; he became the first post-war ambassador.

 

On November 12, 1920 it mentioned that he and his wife viewed  the Armistice Day procession from the Embassy terrace overlooking the Mall.

[Stoppage Drill]

As no-one else has answered, I'll have a go.

 

Normal procedure is for a neutral third party state to be appointed as custodians of the buildings and contents during the period of actual hostilities.

 

I think that the actual sites retain a diplomatic status of sorts insofar as the receiving State is obliged to protect them.

 

Right up until the fall of the Wall the old Italian and Japanese Embassy buildings remained in West Berlin, unoccupied and gently decaying, but still the property of the newly legitimate governments of those countries. The countries in question had opened new embassies in East Berlin and Bonn in the 1950s.

 

After the reunification the Japs committed a cultural outrage and demolished/rebuilt their Berlin building against German wishes.

 

 

[John_Hartley]

Happy to be corrected but I believe that the neutral state was America (until it's own declaration of war, of course). I'm basing this on what I assume were "neutral custodian" duties inspecting PoW camps in the UK.

[Moonraker]

Yes, the visits to and reports on PoW camps were made by the United States (certainly in the case of those in Wiltshire); after the States entered the war, the Swiss took over.

 

Moonraker

[Magnumbellum]

Yes, during hostilities a Protecting Power, as the third party, neutral, state is formally known, accepts responsibility for the interests of citizens of one belligerent state resident, whether or not as prisoners/detainees, within another belligerent state.

[SiegeGunner]

US envoys also visited and inspected POW camps in Germany, so I suspect that function may have been carried out under the auspices of the Red Cross.

[Moonraker]

I'm not sure about about inspections "under the auspices of the Red Cross", though the Red Cross itself can be a protecting power.

 

Wikipedia

 

Now, going back to the German Embassy building in London ...

 

Moonraker

[kenf48]

The German Embassy in 1914 was at 9 Carlton House Terrace.  On the 5th August 1914 the Ambassador and staff left and at 10.30pm the brass plate was removed.
During the war German diplomatic interests were represented by a Swiss Legation.  This Legation was in residence at Carlton House Terrace from 1914 until diplomatic relations between Germany and the U.K. were resumed in 1920. The head of the legation was a M. Preiswerck who, with a small staff occupied part of the building. As noted by Mr Drill, Diplomatic convention requires that a neutral country asked to represent a belligerents interests cannot normally refuse to do so.

 

Immediately after the war as you note in your OP a German Charge d'Affaires was appointed.

 

The Germans reopened the building and full diplomatic relations were resumed on Saturday 14 February 1920.  The exterior of the building, where there had been a couple of demonstrations,  was reported to be in a dilapidated state with a number of broken windows.  It was reported the Swiss brass plate was still on the building.  On Monday 16th February the German flag was raised over Carlton House Terrace.

Renovation began during the summer of 1920,the apparent cost of  which caused some raised eyebrows.

In 1925 the German Government renewed a sixty year lease on the building and obtained a similar lease on the house next door.

 

In WW2 the Swiss Legation, once again under M. Preiswerck, occupied the building, taking up residence in the basement.  Though this may have been an air raid precaution as the building was damaged in 1940.

 

After the war the building was requisitioned by the British and taken over by the Foreign Office, and the contents, alleged to be 95 lorry loads of fine furniture and effects sold at Auction at Earls Court in November 1945. It was said 'crazy prices ' were paid due to the association with von Ribbentrop.

 

Ken

 

 

Edited 27 September , 2016 by kenf48

[Moonraker]

Excellent, Ken, just what I wanted. Thanks.

 

Moonraker

[Guest]

A German Charge d'Affaires was appointed and arrived 14 February 1920 to no fanfare according to the news. (London Times article that date) He was Dr. Freidrich Sthamer. Technically full diplomatic relations were not restored until he was appointed ambassador 27 August 1920.

[GreyC]

Hi,

Dr. Friedrich Sthamer, born 24. November 1856  near Hamburg was part of an old and influential Hamburg family who, as merchants, had good contacts to British, especially London companies. F.S. was a Doctor of Law and member of the Hamburg Senat, the governing body of the Free State of Hamburg since 1904. from 1915 to the end of 1916 he was appointed head of civil government in the occupied city of Antwerp. He then was busy as president of a German economic governing body in Berlin. After the war he was elected 1st Bürgermeister (mayor) of Hamburg which equals head of state. He resigned on the 13th of 1920 to become Germany´s representative in London. He was succeeded in September 1930 by Konstantin Freiherr v. Neurath and died a year later. He is buried in Hamburg.

GreyC