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Volume 9 1948~1951

Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 254 NAI DFA/6/410/68 part 1

Dearg code telegram from Seán Nunan to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(No.73)

Washington DC, 2 February 1949

Chief of Southern European Division State Department1 includes Hungary in conversation to day said while they want to do all possible to help in case of Cardinal Mindszenty they are finding it difficult to decide what is best way. Having in mind statement made by Bulgarian Premier2 after execution Petkoff3 opposition leader in 1947 to the effect that protest from outside powers decided execution State Department are fearful that if Hungarian Government have prison sentence in mind for Cardinal protest may result in harsher sentence and even execution although they do not feel that Hungarian Government would make martyr of Prince of Church.

1 Walworth 'Wally' Barbour (1908-82), Chief of the South European Affairs Division of the State Department (1947-9).

2 Georgi Dimitrov (1882-1949), Prime Minister of Bulgaria (1946-9).

3 Nikola Petkov (1893-1947), from 1945 leader of the anti-communist movement in Bulgaria, was hanged on 23 September 1947 after a show trial.

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