Ken and all:

The reason I requested information, is that I had hoped that some German records had survived WWII. However, apparently nobody here has seen anything in those records suggesting contact with Batista. Still those records are so voluminous that it is possible that there is something there.

My problem is that Cuban history is confounded by lack of access to records. This results in large amounts of uncertainty as regard to events on the island.


Certainly Batista would have sequestered the records during his time in power 1933-1944, and 1952-January 1st 1959. Almost immediately after that Ernesto Guevara burned the records of the BRAC (the bureau that kept track of communists); after that Cuban records were made less accessible.

Now access to Cuban government archives is quite limited, even partisans of that government and in general only they are allowed to research in Cuba, must rely on Cuban government officials to give them the records they request.

Sources such as the Spanish and British Embassy records, plus the declassified versions of the CIA, FBI and State Department offer only partial answers. For example I have found a memo from early WWII written by a "Certain Naval Person" ordering the British Foreign Service to upgrade their presence in Havana.

Shipping records provide some information. Some material can be gleaned from Cuban government publications, but this material suffers from extreme systematic bias, and must be evaluated carefully.

The other sources of material are oral histories of Cuban refugees and Cuban Americans such as myself, this material must be evaluated carefully, but it is wise not to discount it.

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take care and be well

Larry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2007 11:30PM by Forum Moderator.