Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 45. (1997)
AGSTNER, Rudolf: Von Chandos House zum Belgrave Square. Österreichs Botschaft in London 1815–1997
Rudolf Agstner in 1924 - became aware, that the lease in 1892 had been made out in the name of Ambassador Count Francis Deym. In order to be on the safe side, Austrian diplomacy searched out all descendants and possible heirs to Count Deym, and had them sign a formal renunciation of any rights to the building on Belgrave Square. By 1935, all of the numerous descendants had been found in Czechoslovakia, Germany and France. Although it would have been possible, under the terms of the 1934 agreement with Hungary, to change the lease to „Austria“, nothing of the kind happened. XV. 1938 - The Anschluß On March 13, 1938, Hitler proclaimed the Anschluß of Austria to the German Reich. Dr. Wilhelm Wolf, last Austrian Foreign Minister between March 11 and March 13, informed the Austrian legations abroad of the Anschluß and instructed them to inform governments of the host country thereof. Like other Austrian ministers abroad, Franckenstein was instructed to place himself at the disposal of the German diplomatic mission, and to remain at his post until further instructions. The German embassy lost no time. On March 14 the office of counsellor Kunz, confidential, political and personnel files of the staff were sealed, and a German official took residence in the former Austrian legation. New instructions by Dr. Wolf, as of March 14 „Head of the Office in charge of the Liquidation of Foreign Affairs“ followed on March 19. Franckenstein was instructed to liquidate the former Austrian legation as soon as possible, and to return to Austria. Salaries were paid until 30 April at the latest. Between March 15 and March 29, the files were transferred to the German embassy, N° 9, Carlton House Terrace; a few ex-Austrian staff members had begun working at the German embassy, while local staff was fired. The building N° 18, Belgrave Square was used as consular department of the German embassy. Franckenstein remembers: The Austrian Legation has ceased to exist. For a brief period the swastika flew side by side with the national flag in Belgrave Square. Both alike had disappeared yesterday. The business of the Legation had been transferred to the German Embassy ... It is interesting to note, that most Austrian diplomats who served at the London legation stayed in England for various reasons. Baron Franckenstein, who had been allowed by his former colleague in London, Ribbentrop, to stay in London a little longer, did not return to Austria. On July 25, 1938 he was made „Sir George” by King George VI. His deputy Adolf Kunz joined the German Foreign Service on March 25, 1938, and continued to work with the German embassy even after his marriage to Esther Waldegrave (daughter of Lord Radstock). From May to August 1939 he was detached to the „German Academic Exchange Service” in London. Staying in London after World War II broke out, he was immediately dismissed from the German Foreign Service and in 1942 deprived of German citizenship. The head of chancery, Miss Alice Popper, refused to return to Vienna „where as a Jew I would find no employment“, and lived in London until her death in 1981. 56
