Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 45. (1997)
AGSTNER, Rudolf: Von Chandos House zum Belgrave Square. Österreichs Botschaft in London 1815–1997
Austria (-Hungary) and her Diplomatic Mission in London 1815-1997 XVI. 18 Belgrave Square during Word War II After the outbreak of World War II, the Swiss legation took over the protection of German interests in the United Kingdom, which then included the former Austrian legation on Belgrave Square. On October 2, 1940 the German legation in Bern was confidentially informed by the Swiss Foreign Office, „that the building of the former Austrian Legation, 18, Belgrave Square...has been severely damaged by 2 bombs ... due to German air raids in the night from September 30 to October 1“. A second Swiss report gives details of the damage done. One bomb fell directly in front of the building, the second hit the mews wing. Sir Henry ,Chips1 Channon recalls in his diaries (The Diaries of Sir Henry ,Chips1 Channon, ed. by Robert Rhodes James. London 1993, p. 268) on October 1, 1940 that „The old Austrian legation N° 18, had had ist facade tom off, and the basement damaged, while the garage at the back was completely wrecked. I Thought of other days, of Mensdorff reigning there completely splendour, before my time Swiss protection ended on July 31, 1945. Between August 1, 1945 and September 28, 1948, the severely damaged former legation building was administered by the Ministry of Works. XVII. 1946 - A new beginning Already in January 1946 the Austrian government appointed Heinrich Schmid as first „political representative” of Austria in London. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs Karl Gmber recalls that our men had no money and had to live on tick...hi London the Savoy Hotel, where our mission had set up quarters, threatened to give Minister Schmid and Attaché Haymerle notice to leave, as the line of visitors to the Austrian representation wound three times around the block. Both diplomats were forced to store their files in the bathtub ... Although His Majesty’s Government had terminated the state of war between Austria and the United Kingdom on September 16, 1947, „and relations ... with the Austrian Government forthwith brought into conformity with the amity which existed between them before“, this decision had no impact on the legation building on Belgrave Square. XVIII. From Reconstruction 1949 to European Union Presidency 1998 On September 29, 1948, the legation building was returned to Austria. Two months later on November 29, a new lease for 86 years, i. e. until Michaelmas 2034, was concluded between The Most Noble Hugh Richard Arthur Duke of Westminster DSO and the Austrian Republic by her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary His Excellency Heinrich Schmid. The lease cost 13 850 LSt., the annual rent amounted to 550 LSt. Reconstruction of the mews wing was started on January 21, 1949 by James Carmichel Contractors and the Vienna - born architect Walter H. Marmorek. Total 57
