Code Text of the Telegram
Edward Bell’s copy of the decode made at the American embassy (National Archives, Foreign Affairs Branch, State Department Decimal File, 862.20212/81½. English translation added by the author).
This is the text, with Bernstorff’s slight alterations at the beginning, which Bernstorff forwarded to Eckhardt, and is the same as the text obtained by Admiral Hall in Mexico City which he gave to Ambassador Page.
| 130 |
(number of telegram) |
— |
| 13042 |
(code identification number) |
— |
| 13401 |
Auswärtiges Amt |
Foreign Office |
| 8501 |
telegraphiert |
telegraphs |
| 115 |
Januar 16 |
January 16 |
| 3528 |
colon(:) |
colon(:) |
| 416 |
number 1 |
no. 1 |
| 17214 |
ganz geheim |
strictly secret |
| 6491 |
selbst |
yourself |
| 11310 |
zu |
to |
| 18147 |
entziffern |
decipher |
| 18222 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 21560 |
Wir |
We |
| 10247 |
beabsichtigen |
intend |
| 11518 |
am |
from the |
| 23677 |
ersten |
first |
| 13605 |
Februar |
February |
| 3494 |
un- |
un- |
| 14963 |
eingeschränkt |
restricted |
| 98092 |
U-boot |
U-boat |
| 5905 |
Krieg |
war |
| 11311 |
zu |
to |
| 10392 |
beginnen |
begin |
| 10371 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 0302 |
Es wird |
It will |
| 21290 |
versucht |
attempted |
| 5161 |
werden |
be |
| 39695 |
Vereinigten Staaten |
United States |
| 23571 |
trotzdem |
nevertheless |
| 17504 |
neutral |
neutral |
| 11269 |
zu |
to |
| 18276 |
erhalten |
keep |
| 18101 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 0217 |
Für den Fall |
In the event |
| 0228 |
dass dies |
that this |
| 17694 |
nicht |
not |
| 4473 |
gelingen |
succeed |
| 22284 |
sollte |
should |
| 22200 |
comma(,) |
comma(,) |
| 19452 |
schlagen |
offer |
| 21589 |
wir |
we |
| 67893 |
Mexico |
Mexico |
| 5569 |
auf |
on |
| 13918 |
folgender |
following |
| 8958 |
Grundlage |
terms |
| 12137 |
Bündnis |
alliance |
| 1333 |
vor |
(prefix of verb vorschlagen—to offer) |
| 4725 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 4458 |
Gemeinsam |
Together |
| 5905 |
Krieg |
war |
| 17166 |
führen |
make |
| 13851 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 4458 |
Gemeinsam |
Together |
| 17149 |
Friedenschluss |
peace |
| 14471 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 6706 |
Reichlich |
Generous |
| 13850 |
finanzielle |
financial |
| 12224 |
unterstützung |
support |
| 6929 |
und |
and |
| 14991 |
einverständnis |
understanding |
| 7382 |
unserer seits |
our part |
| 15857 |
dass |
that |
| 67893 |
Mexico |
Mexico |
| 14218 |
in |
in |
| 36477 |
Texas |
Texas |
| 5870 |
comma(,) |
comma(,) |
| 17553 |
New |
New |
| 67893 |
Mexico |
Mexico |
| 5870 |
comma(,) |
comma(,) |
| 5454 |
AR |
AR |
| 16102 |
IZ |
IZ |
| 15217 |
ON |
ON |
| 22801 |
A |
A |
| 17138 |
früher |
former |
| 21001 |
verloren |
lost |
| 17388 |
Gebiet |
territory |
| 7446 |
zurück |
back |
| 23638 |
erobern |
conquer |
| 18222 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 6719 |
Regelung |
Settlement |
| 14331 |
im |
in the |
| 15021 |
Einzelnen |
details |
| 23845 |
Euer Hochwohlgeboren |
Your Excellency |
| 3156 |
überlassen |
to be left |
| 23552 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 22096 |
Sie |
You |
| 21604 |
wollen |
will |
| 4797 |
vorstehendes |
of the foregoing |
| 9497 |
dem |
the |
| 22464 |
Präsident |
President |
| 20855 |
streng |
in strictest |
| 4377 |
geheim |
secrecy |
| 23610 |
eröffnen |
inform |
| 18140 |
comma(,) |
comma(,) |
| 22260 |
sobald |
as soon as |
| 5905 |
Kriegs |
war’s |
| 13347 |
Ausbruch |
outbreak |
| 20420 |
mit |
with |
| 39689 |
Vereinigten Staaten |
United States |
| 13732 |
fest |
certain |
| 20667 |
steht |
is |
| 6929 |
und |
and |
| 5275 |
Anregung |
suggestion |
| 18507 |
hinzufügen |
add |
| 52262 |
Japan |
Japan |
| 1340 |
von |
by |
| 22049 |
sich |
himself |
| 13339 |
aus |
from |
| 11265 |
zu |
to |
| 22295 |
sofortig |
immediately |
| 10439 |
beitretung |
join |
| 14814 |
einladen |
invite |
| 4178 |
(setze infinitiv mit zu—i.e., einzuladen) |
(form the infinitive—i.e., to invite) |
| 6992 |
und |
and |
| 8784 |
gleichzeitig |
at the same time |
| 7632 |
zwischen |
between |
| 7357 |
uns |
us |
| 6926 |
und |
and |
| 52262 |
Japan |
Japan |
| 11267 |
zu |
to |
| 21100 |
vermitteln |
mediate |
| 21272 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 9346 |
Bitte |
Please |
| 9559 |
den |
the |
| 22464 |
Präsident |
President |
| 15874 |
darauf |
of this |
| 18502 |
hinweisen |
point to |
| 18500 |
comma(,) |
comma(,) |
| 15857 |
dass |
that |
| 2188 |
rücksichtslos |
ruthless |
| 5376 |
Anwendung |
employment |
| 7381 |
unserer |
our |
| 98092 |
U-boote |
U-boats |
| 16127 |
jetzt |
now |
| 13486 |
Aussicht |
prospect |
| 9350 |
bietet |
offers |
| 9220 |
comma(,) |
comma(,) |
| 76036 |
England |
England |
| 14219 |
in |
in |
| 5144 |
wenigen |
few |
| 2831 |
Monat- |
month- |
| 17920 |
en |
s |
| 11347 |
zum |
to |
| 17142 |
Frieden |
peace |
| 11264 |
zu |
be |
| 7667 |
zwingen |
compelled |
| 7762 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 15099 |
Empfang |
Receipt |
| 9110 |
bestahigen |
acknowledge |
| 10482 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 97556 |
Zimmermann |
Zimmermann |
| 3569 |
stop(.) |
stop(.) |
| 3670 |
Schluss der Depesche |
End of dispatch |
| |
Bernstorff |
|