BERLIN, February 22, 1938.
To Ministerial Director Prufer.
The German Military Attache in Moscow, General Kostring, during his conversation with me today touched upon the question of the closing of our last Consulates in the Soviet Union. With them disappears one of his last sources of information-though they have become more and more inadequate. Under those circumstances he would have to urge especially that nothing be changed in the present arrangement of our courier trips, for what the couriers saw on the way and could then report to him was in the present situation actually the last remaining source of information outside of Moscow. The General seems to have heard some remark implying the intention to restrict the courier trips. I promised to examine the matter.
MACKENSEN