MONTGOMERY, Field Marshal Bernard

Letter by the Commander-in-Chief on Non-fraternisation. [Together with] Letter No. 2 ..., Letter No. 3 ..., and Letter No. 4 [all issued]

[Germany, 21st Army Group, British Army], March, June, July and September 1945.

Four items, each approximately 115 × 85 mm, [4] pages (a bifolium printed on stiff buff-coloured card) with the 21st Army Group shoulder flash printed on each front cover.

A few trifling signs of handling; essentially in uniformly fine condition.

These printed letters were issued to British troops ('To All Officers and Men of 21 Army Group') in Germany between March and September 1945 by Field Marshal Montgomery, 'C-in-C 21 Army Group' and Military Governor of the British Zone in Occupied Germany. The first one, issued two months before the end of the war, expressly forbids fraternisation of any kind. Its three closely-printed pages contain these sorts of orders: 'In streets, houses, cafes, cinemas etc., you must keep clear of Germans, man, woman and child, unless you meet them in the course of duty. You must not walk out with them, or shake hands, or visit their homes, or make them gifts, or take gifts from them. You must not play games with them or share any social event with them. In short you must not fraternise with Germans at all.... You will have to remember that these are the same Germans who, a short while ago, were drunk with victory, who were boasting what they as the Master Race would do to you as their slaves, who were applauding the utter disregard by their leaders of any form of decency or of honourable dealings'. The second letter is much shorter: business as usual, with the exception of small children: 'Members of the British Forces in Germany will be allowed to speak to, and play with, little children'. The third letter introduces one 'further modification of these rules. You may now engage in conversation with adult Germans in the streets and in public places'. The fourth and final letter states that the 'Allied Control Council has decided that the time has come to abolish all separate zonal orders on the subject of non-fraternisation with the German people, and to adopt a universal policy which will ensure uniform treatment of Germany'. The existing orders were cancelled, with two exceptions: 'No members of the armed forces will be billeted with German families ... [and they] will not be permitted to marry Germans'. [4 items].