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The
repatriation of prisoners of war and interned civilians shall take
place as soon as possible after the coming into force of the present
Treaty and shall be carried out with the greatest rapidity.
The
repatriation of German prisoners of war and interned civilians
shall, in accordance with Article 214, be carried out by a
Commission composed of representatives of the Allied and Associated
Powers on the one part and of the German Government on the other
part.
For
each of the Allied and Associated Powers a Sub-Commission, composed
exclusively of Representatives of the interested Power and of
Delegates of the German Government, shall regulate the details of
carrying into effect the repatriation of the prisoners of war.
From
the time of their delivery into the hands of the German authorities
the prisoners of war and interned civilians are to be returned
without delay to their homes by the said authorities.
Those
amongst them who before the war were habitually resident in
territory occupied by the troops of the Allied and Associated Powers
are likewise to be sent to their homes, subject to the consent and
control of the military authorities of the Allied and Associated
armies of occupation.
The
whole cost of repatriation from the moment of starting shall be
borne by the German Government who shall also provide the land and
sea transport and staff considered necessary by the Commission
referred to in Article 215.
Prisoners
of war and interned civilians awaiting disposal or undergoing
sentence for offences against discipline shall be repatriated
irrespective of the completion of their sentence or of the
proceedings pending against them.
This
stipulation shall not apply to prisoners of war and interned
civilians punished for offences committed subsequent to May 1, 1919.
During
the period pending their repatriation all prisoners of war and
interned civilians shall remain subject to the existing regulations,
more especially as regards work and discipline.
Prisoners
of war and interned civilians who are awaiting disposal or
undergoing sentence for offences other than those against discipline
may be detained.
The
German Government undertakes to admit to its territory without
distinction all persons liable to repatriation.
Prisoners
of war or other German nationals who do not desire to be repatriated
may be excluded from repatriation; but the Allied and Associated
Governments reserve to themselves the right either to repatriate
them or to take them to a neutral country or to allow them to reside
in their own territories.
The
German Government undertakes not to institute any exceptional
proceedings against these persons or their families nor to take any
repressive or vexatious measures of any kind whatsoever against them
on this account.
The
Allied and Associated Governments reserve the right to make the
repatriation of German prisoners of war or German nationals in their
hands conditional upon the immediate notification and release by the
German Government of any prisoners of war who are nationals of the
Allied and Associated Powers and may still be in Germany.
Germany
undertakes:
(1)
To give every facility to Commissions to enquire into the cases of
those who cannot be traced; to furnish such Commissions with all
necessary means of transport; to allow them access to camps,
prisons, hospitals and all other places; and to place at their
disposal all documents, whether public or private, which would
facilitate their enquiries;
(2)
To impose penalties upon any German officials or private persons who
have concealed the presence of any nationals of any of the Allied
and Associated Powers or have neglected to reveal the presence of
any such after it had come to their knowledge.
Germany
undertakes to restore without delay from the date of the coming into
force of the present Treaty all articles, money, securities and
documents which have belonged to nationals of the Allied and
Associated Powers and which have been retained by the German
authorities.
The
High Contracting Parties waive reciprocally all repayment of sums
due for the maintenance of prisoners of war in their respective
territories.
The
Allied and Associated Governments and the German Government will
cause to be respected and maintained the graves of the soldiers and
sailors buried in their respective territories.
They
agree to recognise any Commission appointed by an Allied or
Associated Government for the purpose of identifying, registering,
caring for or erecting suitable memorials over the said graves and
to facilitate the discharge of its duties.
Furthermore
they agree to afford, so far as the provisions of their laws and the
requirements of public health allow, every facility for giving
effect to requests that the bodies of their soldiers and sailors may
be transferred to their own country.
The
graves of prisoners of war and interned civilians who are nationals
of the different belligerent States and have died in captivity shall
be properly maintained in accordance with Article 225 of the present
Treaty.
The
Allied and Associated Governments on the one part and the German
Government on the other part reciprocally undertake also to furnish
to each other:
(1)
A complete list of those who have died, together with all
information useful for identification;
(2)
All information as to the number and position of the graves of all
those who have been buried without identification.
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