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Document · 1934.05
Part of Private Archives

Questions dealt with by the High Commissioner at Danzig: conflict between the Catholic Youth and Hitler Youth on negotiations for a concordat; deteriorating relations between H. Rauschning and A. Forster; K. Papée's fear as to the growth of semi-military organizations in Danzig; suppression for three months of the Catholic newspaper "Danziger Volkstimme", petition from the editor K. Formell, ex-Senator, to S. Lester; appointment by the Senate of a State Commissioner for the City of Danzig, Eggert, in place of the Municipal Council; deteriorating economic relations between Poland and Danzig: problem of the Polish pressure and control of the Danzig customs; A. Forster's threatening speech towards Poland.

Document · 1934.03.07
Part of Private Archives

Letter to acknowledge receipt, since all semi-official letters addressed to the Secretary-General went into L. Krabbe's hands, of S. Lester's last report on the political situation in Danzig and the relationships between H. Rauschning and A. Forster; L. Krabbe from the League of Nations Political Section was very busy with the Saar question.

Sub-series
Part of Private Archives

On 30 September 1936, the League of Nations Council decided to appoint S. Lester as Deputy Secretary-General, in replacement of Pablo de Azcarate, although his appointment as High Commissioner in Danzig had been prolonged till October, 1937. S. Lester was to take up new responsibilities in February 1938.

S. Lester's departure from Danzig caused consternation among the opponents of the Nazi regime, and satisfaction among the Nazis, who regarded S. Lester as an obstacle to the establishment of a totalitarian State in Danzig, it was mainly a victory for A. Forster, the Nazi district leader and A. Greiser, the President of the Danzig Senate.

S. Lester succeeded P. Azcarate, who resigned the post of Under Secretary-General to become Spanish Ambassador in London.

September 1936, S. Lester appointed League of Nations Under Secretary-General, a position previously held by Ascarati, of Spain. S. Lester's appointment will take effect when his successor in Danzig is announced. By the appointment S. Lester became the second highest official at Geneva and will be in charge whenever Joseph A.C. Avenol, Secretary-General, is absent.

5 October 1936: the Council considered the position of the High Commissioner in Danzig. The Council asked Poland to take up matter on their behalf, i.e. abandon all formal attempt to hold up Danzig Constitution. Poland did not act. Nazi Government liquidated opposition press, abolished opposition Parties, arrested or forced out opposition leaders.

The Council reluctantly decided to maintain pretence (F. Walters) and to appoint a new High Commissioner in February 1937.

S. Lester placed in a special envelope, marked "Secret-Private Diary" his notes and some letters-copies for a crucial period July-December 1936. This envelope was mislaid but found many years later, after the rest of his papers (perhaps in the early eighties). Its contents have now been incorporated in the general collection of S. Lester papers, chronologically.

Document · 1937.07.08
Part of Private Archives

A. Eden on the Danzig Constitution; powers of Danzig government; A. Forster would benefit by Constitutional change; A. Greiser-A. Forster; Komarnicki and Polish information activities; hopes for delay in Constitution changes; moderates and extremists within the Nazi party; international criticism unites Nazi party; A. Forster's attachment to British; invitation to J. Avenol to visit Danzig; evolution of National-Socialist party; careerism of Danzig National-Socialist leaders.

Document · 1934.02.09
Part of Private Archives

About S. Lester's official visit to Warsaw 6-8 February 1934, where he met K. Papée, Polish Minister, Count Lubienski, Chief of the Danzig Section, Duiawdoski of the League of Nations Section and a number of other prominent officials, and where he had official talks with J. Beck, Foreign Minister, on the new Polish-German Treaty J. Beck concluded; with Zarzycki, Minister for Commerce and acting President of the Council, on the Polish interests in Danzig; and with Marshal Pilsudski, Minister for War, who was the real Governor of Poland, but did not occupy the position of Prime Minister, etc.; S. Lester's note on his talk with Ferber (5 February 1934) regarding the incidents with Nazi flag in Danzig for the anniversary of A. Hitler's accession to power in Germany and monarchist flag in the municipality of Zoppot, as well as the question of the Polish schools, the problem with the new regulation made by the Nazi organisation and the carrying of arms "long knives"; S. Lester's talk (6 February 1934) with Prost, one of the Danzig Social-Democrat Leader Party and editor at the "Volkstimme" on the freedom of press, petitions, Volkstag new elections; and S. Lester's interview (8 February 1934) with A. Forster, leader of the National Socialist Party in Danzig, personal representative of A. Hitler, on the Nazis and the Danzig Constitution.

Document · 1934.01.30
Part of Private Archives

Interview with Koch, Danish Consul and Doyen of the Consular Corps, on Polish-German Treaty of friendship and H. Rauschning's weakened position vis-à-vis Albert Forster; conversation with Delfin, French Consul General, but not on the political situation in Danzig; interview with Valcke, Belgian Consul General on Polish restrictions on imports; interview with von Radowitz, German Consul General on Polish-German Treaty of friendship, protection of Europe essential in the future as a protection against the Soviet, and on H. Rauschning and A. Foster, S. Lester wanted to get information in case of rupture between these two men; interview with de Lieto, Italian Consul General, on Polish-German Treaty, Danzig-Poland economic situation and the fact that Danzig could not live without Poland.

Document · 1937.07.10
Part of Private Archives

Survey on International Affairs by Toynbee on Danzig for '36; S. Lester's comments; constant uncertainty regarding German line; A. Greiser's and A. Forster's characters; A. Greiser's departure from reception in 1936; Polish alarm in July 1936; Poland's position with League of Nations in retreat; J. Avenol and not Council responsible for S. Lester's appointment as Deputy Secretary-General; C. Burckhardt's sympathy towards National-Socialists.

Document · 1934.10.18
Part of Private Archives

According to the Jewish Community in Danzig, President H. Rauschning's friendly attitude towards the Jews explained his situation; it seemed as if the Government was still more closely under the guidance of A. Forster, that is to say anti-Jewish, although A. Forster was not a member of the Government and not even a citizen of Danzig; Jews requested S. Lester's support, because in these circumstances they were quite without influence.