Separatist coup in Rhineland

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] No. 8.—ARCHIVES. 22 GERMANY. [October 29.] CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 2. [C 18612/129/18] No. 1. Colonel Ryan to the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston.— (Received October 29.) (No. 967.) My Lord, Coblenz, October 25, 1923. IN connection with the events which have taken place since last Saturday. the 20th October, I have the honour to forward. for your Lordship's information, the following account, as far as can be gathered from the information at my disposal :— On Saturday morning last it was rumoured here in the Belgian Department of the High Commission that an attempt was to be made in the Belgian zone to proclaim a Rhineland Republic. My political oflicer. Major Quarry. was informed by his vis-à-vis in the Belgian Department that no credence was placed in this rumour. as similar reports had so frequently been bruited about in the occupied territories for the past year. Whether the Belgian authorities here were taken by surprise or not is a point. which I am unable to elucidate, but the fact remains that on the evening of Saturday. the 20th October, bands of Separatists appeared in Aix-la-Chapelle, composed mainly of small groups from different. parts of the Rhineland, and these groups. together with the local Separatists, seized the public buildings and assumed the reins of office. issuing a proclamation, the text of which I sent to your Lordship in my telegram No. 407. The German Separatist leaders. On the following morning. Sunday, the 21st October, the Belgian High Commis- sioner, who had left Coblenz for his residence near Verviers, hurried to Aix-la-Chapelle in order to investigate personally the situation. On his arrival there he issued instructions that the Belgian troops were not to interfere, but were to adopt an attitude of strict neutrality. Apparently the whole of Sunday passed off quietly. On the 21st October, in the Belgian zone, a Rhineland Republic was proclaimed in the town of Erkelenz, but at München-Gladbach the Separatists were unsuccessful, the authorities having been warned in advance. In the French zone. on Sunday. the 21st October. in the towns of Rüsselslieim (Rhein-Hesse). Gross Gerau, Saarburg and Berncastel, a republic was proclaimed. An attempt was made during the night of the 21st–22nd at Coblenz, but was abandoned. On the morning of the 22nd the Government offices at Mayen, Bad-Ems, Bitburg. Daun and Hermcskeil were occupied by the Separatists without any resistance. During the night of the 22nd—23rd October the Scparatists occupied the post office and the Government buildings at Trier and disarmed the police without any untoward incident. At Bonn a Rhineland Republic was proclaimed during the night of the 22nd—23rd, not, however, without incidents of a serious nature. the Separatists having two killed and three wounded. With French assistance they are now engaged in organising the public services. The situation in Bonn to-day is calm. On the evening of the 22nd the Separatists occupied at Wiesbaden all the public buildings without difliculty. the French military authorities enforcing order. Duisburg, Viersen. Wittlich and Dietz are also reported to be in the hands of the Separatists. At Mainz the position appears to have been grave. numerous encounters having taken place between the Separatists and the police. during the course of which several were wounded. The French authorities have taken over the re-establishment of order, the Separatists have been disarmed and the German police confined to their quarters. During the earlv hours of the morning of the 24th two or three Separatist leaders appeared in Coblenz and assembled their supporters in the waiting-room at the main station. At 8 A.M.