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MEMORANDUMho. Record..
SOUTH TYROL
(LXV
the German-speaking people of South Tyrol, had beenoderating influence and had asked for no more than an autonomy status for the Province of Bolzano remaining under the sovereignty of the Italian Republic, similar to the autonomy granted to Sicily. Butatisfactory solution was soon arrived at, there was considerable danger that even this moderate political party would ask for more i.nion of South Tyrol with North Tyrol (Austria).
lis particularly concerned lest the radicals in South Tyrol might start guerrilla warfare and lest former Nazi elements of Southern Germany and particularly Bavaria might support such an operation with men and money. He strongly feels that in order tolittle Cyprus" in the heart of Europe, the Italian government should make some reasonable concessions now thusery nasty situation later on, and he would consider it wise if the American government could exert its influence with the Italians in this respect.
ave been
told that guerrilla forces in the South Tyrol were already being organized for the particular purpose of sabotaging the very important Italian power dams and electric transmission lines
located ia South Tyrol andonsiderable part of the electric power us ed by the City of Milano and other industrial centers in the Po Valley. Also bridges are to be blown up.
The name of this organization is FLS (Freiheits Legion Sucdtyrol) and the name of its leader is to be XASSIAN ORTLER (an assumed name, Kasslanypical South Tyrolean name and Order being the name of the highest mountain in Southew people in South Tyrol as well as in North Tyrol seem to th,ink that such recourse to force is necessary to attract world attention and to induce the Italian government to make concessions.
1
March0
Original document.
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