Konrad Adeneur. Adenauer understood that rearmament was an essential step in his policy of pursuing West German sovereignty through integration into the West.

One of Adenauer’s greatest achievements is a lasting reconciliation with France.  This achievement is especially applaud able   when the conflict and rivalry experienced between France and Germany for Centuries before hand is considered.   The Bitter hostility between France and Germany was “wasteful, wrong and periodically disastrous” Adenauer’s building of better relations with the Western allies was crucial in Germany’s recovery from wartime devastation. Germany’s reorientation towards the West helped regain sovereignty for Germany and integrate Germany with the emerging North Atlantic community, i.e. NATO and the organisation for European Economic co-operation.

 When Charles de Gaulle came to power in June 1958, Adenauer under the advice of Hans Globke went to Paris to meet De Gaulle. Adenauer and de Gaulle first meet in Colombey on the fourteenth of September 1948. The visit was a success and a good releationship was established. De Gaulle shared Adenauer’s views on a need for improved Franco-German relations as well as common arms production, support of the common market and an East-West détente in the economic field. The second meeting between de Gaulle and Adenauer was the starting point of the Paris-Bonn axis. Tension arose between Germany and France after the Paris-Bonn axis when France displayed a complacent attitude towards NATO and withdrew her Mediterranean fleet, French troops in Algeria and claimed that the NATO forces should be commanded by a Frenchman. After having his plans for the reform of NATO rejected by the Americans in 1959 and Britain in 1960, General de Gaulle focused his international activities on achieving a politically integrated Europe. De Gaulle meet up with Adenauer to discuss a Franco-German confederation with common citizenship. He counted on the influence of the Franco-German partnership to gain the support of the other European partners for the building of an autonomous Europe. He wanted to build an autonomous Europe and his hope was that a Franco-German partnership would help gain the support of the other European partners. Political cooperation was agreed upon in February 19611 as a result. However the failing of the Fouchet plans caused controversy by provoking disagreement on the nature of European reunification

 The Fouchet plans lead to the strengthening of Franco German relations.  De Gaulle realised after this failure the need for France to consolidate and cement Franco-German relations. In January 1963 the German-French Treaty ( Élysée treaty) was implemented.  Adenauer’s people skills and friendship with De Gaulle was an important part of this process as numerous consultations and meetings took place between the two Governments. and diplomacy. The Treaty provided for close cooperation between France and the Federal Republic of Germany in the areas of foreign affairs, defence, education and youth.

 Of greater importance to the majority of West Germans, however, was the country's relationship with the United States and its secure place within the Western defence community. In a 1960 television interview Adenauer said that he believed his most important decision in office was to ally Germany with the free west.  Adenauer believed that “integration actually encouraged European political stability” He felt that the closer European states were with the United States the stronger their domestic position would become. Adenauer’s building of positive relations was of huge benefit to Germany. Alanticisim had numerous advantages for Germany. Adenauer depended on America for troops, aid and protection. Germanys commitment to  building alliances with the West and  joining the Organisation for European Economic cooperation proved immensely beneficial when the German economy was helped tremendously by the Marshall plan. It was important for “German economic recovery” and fostered  “a managerial climate of opinion and the depoliticizing of industrial relations, with a focus on enhanced productivity rather than social redistribution , were certainly  important factors in post war economic growth.” The success of the Marshall plan further encouraged Adenauer to promote good relations with America and to publically emphasize these relations at any given opportunity.  Western integration also protected West Germany from “Soviet Power and its own internal devils.”  If Germany was a neutral state that would place them in an extremely vulnerable position. The United States was a source of security and provider of necessary aid.  Adenauer’s predictions that the “patience and commitment to the West would eventually lead the Soviets to admit defeat” proved correct.

As early as April 1953 Adenauer visited Washington where he received a warm welcome.  Adenauer’s commitment to Western integration was extremely advantageous as Germany was insecure and weak  post world war two.  Germanys alliance with America was one of  Adenauer’s greatest achievements. The close relations were a great help and enabled German rearmament as well as Germanys acceptance into NATO.  It also enabled Germany to progress national interests without being viewed as aggressive by neighbouring countries.

While Adenauer was a key figure in lifting Germany from war time devastation, the aid and contribution of his associates cannot be ignored. As Terence Prittie points out, “ the men of the inner cabinet, or political family played an immensely greater part in the running of the country than the general public realised.”  Herbert Blackenhorn his personal adviser played his part in Germany’s revival. Adenauer had relied heavily on Backerhorn in early post war years and he worked closely with Adenauer during the creation of the CDU. Blackenhorn was competent in foreign affairs. He played a big part in policy making and was skilled in his dealings with the foreign press. Another man who played a part in Adenauer’s success was Professor Walter Hallstein who strongly believed in political and economic union with the allies. He had a vast knowledge in international law and  excelled in the learning of foreign languages. These skills were of immense benefit to Adenauer and the Federal public government. Felix Von Eckardt , Adenauer’s press chief was an expert in dealing with press relations and was a skilful government spokesman. He was an intelligent man and was well-informed on party politics and the internal affairs of the cabinet. Adenauer often sought his opinion before major decisions were implemented.

 The position of Adenauers key adviser belonged to Dr. Hans Globke, head of the chancellery from 1953 onwards. Globke was responsible for the smooth and efficient running of the government. He informed Adenauer on the problems and actions of his various ministers and informed the ministers on Adenauer’s plans. He oversaw the running of administrative and tactical co-ordination within the government and took care of personnel policy. Globke was discret, organised and dedicated. Adenauer depended on him in the running of the country and placed tremendous   emphasize on his advice.

Adenauer’s minister for economics Professor Ludwig Erhard was “the mastermind of the “economic miracle.” He played an important role in the currency reform of 1948. The social market economy he created was a spectacular achievement and became a “pillar of the political culture of the Federal Republic that even ideological critics such as SPD and the Greens have made peace with its basic principles.”  Part of the reason the social market economy was so successful is that it glossed over the difficulty between the conflicting principles of the welfare state and market liberalism. Erhard’s policy assured currency stability and stimulated the economy by means of consumerism. The Social Market Economy system enabled Erhard to lift Germany out of despair with” cheap imports, boosting exports, reducing tariffs and liberalising trade.”  He broght about increased food and consumer goods in the shops, increased employment and initiated the building boom.  It was largely due to Erhard’s policy that Germany made a miracle recovery through rapid growth and widespread prosperity in the 1950s, overcoming wartime destruction and successfully integrating millions of refugees from the east. His clear economic vision meant that Germany’s economic growth reached an astonishing sixty percent and proceeded the growth of other countries.

 The political circumstances during Adenauer’s reign enabled him to succeed in rearmament and create improved relations with the allies.  The United States and Britain viewed economically independent and self-supporting Germany as a bastion against communism The Cold War placed Germany in a strong bargaining position as the Superpowers needed the support of Germany. They would benefit hugely by locking Germany in a Western alliance.  A “strong, well-integrated, materially prosperous western Europe would provide an effective military defence against communist aggression, while also being less susceptible to communist infiltration  or subversion from within.” France also feared future alignments between West Germany and Russia and this lead to a more positive view of Franco-German relations. Integration wasn’t only beneficial to America because of the threat of the Soviet union aligning with Germany, American capitalism required an international market that only a prosperous and thriving Europe could provide. The people of West Germany were also beginning to be viewed by the Superpowers as “good democrats “ and “partners in the international freedom fight against the evils of communism.” Politics in Britain also turned in favour of Adenauer when Churchill became prime minister. The Labour Government had been hostile and narrow-minded towards Adenauer and relations with Britain were bad as a result. Churchill however was welcoming and had decided himself that “Britain most make friends with good Germans.”  Good relations with Britain, America and France made rearmament and increased independence possible for Germany.

The contribution of the Trade Unions cannot be forgotten in West Germanys rapid recovery from wartime devastation. Ludwig Erhand introduced the system of “co-determination,” under which all large enterprises and corporations were legally required to have trade-union representatives included in the decision-making bodies of businesses.  Trade Unions lead the working Germans who had a willingness to respond to what the country needed. The Germans who are known to be disciplined, structured and focused fully cooperated with the trades unions. The trade unions autonomous and unified and “it was potentially one of the most powerful labour organizations in the world, precisely because it was so unified.”  By the mid-1950s out of a labour workforce of 35 million, 9.8 million were in labour unions. The labour unions lead to a massive increase in employment and by 1957 the labour force had increased by six million.

Adenauer’s conservative, careful attitude was undeniably what Germany needed to lift her out of post war devastation. His success with rearmament and Western Integration are particularly applaudable. However, the political circumstances in his time worked to his advantage. Had he ruled during a different era his methods may not have been nearly as effective?  Adenauer has also often been criticised for not paying enough attention to home affairs. The work of his associates, the trade unions and in particular Ludwig Erhard played a major part in the miraculous recovery of Germany during wartime devastation. The work of Adenauer , which focused mainly on foreign affairs was not enough to induce Germany’s miraculous recovery.

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Bibliography

David P. Conradt, The German Polity, (2001)

Konrad H. Jarausch, After Hitler Recivlizing Germans, 1945-1995 (2006)

Mary Fulbrook The Divided nation, A history of Germany 1918-1990, (1992)

Ronald J. Granieri, The Ambivalent Alliance, Konrad Adenauer, The CDU/CSU, and The West, 1949-1966 (2003)

Terence Prittie, Adenauer A study in fortitude, (1972)

Student:  Catherine Mary O’ Donnell

Tutor: James Kelly

Essay: ‘That West Germany recovered so quickly from wartime devastation was due in large measure to the leadership of Konrad Adenauer’.

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