June 11th is in the middle of the massive deportations of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz. The deportations began May 15th and lasted into the second week of July. More than 437,000 Jews were sent to Auschwitz in this 55 day span, most of whom were killed upon arrival.
As I’ve mentioned before, the WRB is desperate to get more eyes, ears, and boots on the ground in Hungary, both to serve as witnesses (and informants) and as a potential deterrent for atrocities. So they ask the neutral nations to increase diplomatic representation, as well as the International Red Cross.
This cable is from McClelland in Switzerland, explaining a message from the Red Cross in response to this request. The Red Cross wants to increase representation, but they currently only have one rep in Hungary, and he has not been officially recognized by the Hungarians or the occupying Germans.
You read that right. During the largest humanitarian crisis in Hungary’s history, during the largest deportation effort during the Holocaust, the Red Cross only has ONE representative in Hungary. Who has not been recognized. This is not (totally) a criticism of the Red Cross, but a reminder of bureaucratic complications during wartime which makes any possible rescue and relief even more difficult.
