Russo-German trade agreement
week from October 23 - 29, 1939

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1939

Diplomacy: (MAIN EVENT) Russo-German trade agreement: USSR to supply 1 M. tonnes of grain and fodder.

Picture: On August 23th the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact and secret agreement on partition of Eastern Europe was signed by German foreign minister Ribbentrop, Soviet foreign minister Molotov (background, left) and Stalin (right). It followed the 'Treaty of Frontier Regulation and Friendship' on September 29th and finally the trade agreement, which made the Allied blokade of Germany without any major effect.

Occupied Poland: Arrival in Paris of large hoard of gold smuggled from Warsaw via Rumania and Syria.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1939

Sea War Mediterranean: Three U-boats despatched to Mediterranean. Only U-26 arrives and has no success.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1939

Diplomacy: Soviet government denies Britain's right to stop Soviet merchant ships bound for Germany.

Picture: Everything quite on the Western Front. German soldiers are closing a door between the tank traps of the Siegfried Line (Western Wall).

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1939

Neutrals: King Leopold in broadcast to USA declares Belgium's determination to defend its neutrality.

Picture: Belgian fortifications on the border to Germany.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1939

Diplomacy: At talks in Moscow, Russians demand strategic Finnish territory in Karelian Isthmus, Hango naval base and ice-free port of Petsamo (Arctic) in exchange for worthless Russian territory along East borders. Finns reject proposals (November 8) and return home (November 13).

Occupied Czechoslovakia: Independence Day: German police fire on demonstrators in Prague (16 casualties).

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1939

Sea War Atlantic: German warships and U-boats given permission to attack passenger ships in convoys. These passenger ships were used as troop transports.