From NA: RG.332, entry ETO MIS-Y Sect., Box 73: optically scanned. Please report obvious scanning errors. [Report]

SAIC/X/7 dated 5.6.1945

BERGER: I am about to tell you some deep dark secrets . . . [unverständlich]. Sweden is a very conservative country. She is mortally afraid of the threatening rise of Communism. She has be subjected to a strict control by the western Powers, especially by England. However, she has supplied us with merchandise, in order to gain an ally in her battle against Communism. She delivered these supplies with the stipulation that they would be used solely on our eastern front. And we kept our promise. I have attended these conferences. The main item supplied by Sweden was ball bearings. And we definitely promised to stick to their stipulation.

AMERIKANISCHER OFFIZIER: When did this conference take place?

BERGER: In the spring of 1944. It followed the second heavy attack on our Schweinfurt ball bearing factories. . . Four Swedes were caught doing espionage in Poland against Germany, at Great Britain's behest. They were important people -- among them the son of the largest stockholder of the Swedish match monopoly. They sent reports to England dealing with troop movements, the capacity of various factories, their locations, etc.

They were sentenced to death. Acting on Brigadeführer [Walter) Schellenberg's suggestion, Himmler . . -- [Unterbrechung] suggested to Himmler to release these Swedes in return for some shipments of Swedish ball bearings. This scheme was later proposed to him by the Swedish ambassador to Germany. -- These Swedes were later released.