Records of the Office of Economic Security Policy -- General Records of the Department of State (RG 59) [CIVILIAN AGENCY RECORDS -- Department of State and Foreign Affairs Records]

The Office of Economic Security Policy was established in October 1945. Its mission was to initiate, formulate, and coordinate State Department policies and activities aimed at economic security and at economic aspects of the occupation of Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea. German and Japanese reparations negotiations were specifically charged to this office in 1946. The office absorbed the Division of Economic Security Control, the Office of the Advisor on German Economic Affairs, and the Office of the Advisor on Far Eastern Economic Affairs. The reparations, industrial, and financial responsibilities of the Division of Financial Affairs and the Division of Foreign Economic Development pertaining to the prospective peace treaties involving Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were transferred to this office when those division were abolished in 1946.

The three units of the Office of Economic Security Policy (the Division of Economic Security Controls, the Division of German and Austrian Economic Affairs, and the Division of Japanese and Korean Economic Affairs) were ordered to cooperate in fulfilling the Safehaven program of tracing the flow of enemy assets into neutral countries. The office administered the Safehaven mission until March 1947.

The Office of Economic Security Policy was abolished in July 1947. Its functions, personnel, and records were transferred to the Office of Financial and Development Policy.

Records of the Division of Economic Security Controls

The Division of Economic Security Controls was established in March 1945. It assumed the functions of the former Division of World Trade Intelligence, such as the responsibility for American controls over foreign funds and properties mandated by the Proclaimed List of Certain Blocked Nationals (Executive Order 8389). Among its new responsibilities were development of measures to prevent concealment or flight of enemy assets and looted property.

The Division of Economic Security Controls was administered by the Office of Financial and Development Policy until October 1945, when it was placed under the Office of Economic Security Policy.

The Safehaven program, having been completed, the functions and personnel of the division were returned to the Office of Financial and Development Policy in July 1947, and assigned to the newly-established Division of Occupied Areas Economic Affairs.

Safehaven Project Files (Lot File 54D374)

Safehaven Country File. 1945-1947. (Entry 369A)
   
                Folders on Afghanistan, Belgium, British Empire, China, Czechoslovakia,  Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan,  Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland,  Rumania, Sweden, Switzerland, Tangier, Turkey, and Soviet Russia.
        Boxes 1-2 location: 250/45/35/07

Safehaven Subject File. 1945-1947 (Entry 369B)

        Folders on Assets of Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary, and Finland in neutral countries;  Basic instructions, policies, and procedures;  Bretton Woods--Resolution VI;  Claims filed by Swiss firms with GAO; Currie Mission: negotiations, administrative  details, Swiss  press reports; German external assets; German External Property  Commission; German repatriates from Turkey; German scientists and technicians;  Gold policy; Insurance; Minutes of meetings of SAFEHAVEN Committee; Non-  repatriables: heirless funds, non-monetary gold; Renegotiation of accord; Treaties-  border questions: and, Washington Accord, 1946 [with the Swiss].
        Box 3 location: 250/45/35/07

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