|. Expectations and Disoppointments of the First Postwar Years (1945-1947) Germany's fature position in a unified Europe. In the conservative-prag- matic view of the Englishman Churchill, the concert of European states should be restored on the basis of a Franco-German understanding and un- der the protection of American nuclear weapons. Its erstwhile institutional sbackbonee should be a European council, In this concept, the re-emer- gence of a German national state was assumed as self-evident, and the confederation he aimed for would leave national sovercignty virtually un- touched. The federalists contrasted this »restorativee tenet with a European federation into which Germany would be firmly integrated (and with this also controlied). This federation was also conditioned on the surrender of significant parts of the sovercignty by its member states. In the framework of world politics, Churchill saw the European confederation together with North America as one of two circles within the Adantic world, with Great Britain, ideally placed ~as third circle—to occupy, asit were, a key political position. The federalists contrasted this concept of three centres with their ‘own concept of a unified Europe designed to form a balancing and subilising centre between the Atlantic and the Communist worlds ‘The Hague Congress of European orgmnisations (7 to 10 May 1948), brought about the firt direct meeting between the two differing European concepts, that of the federalist-socialst model and that of the conservative nation-state version, Meanwhile, the takcover of the Czechoslovak Com- ‘munists in Prague (February 1948) and the continuing consolidation of So- viet rule in Cential and Eastern Europe (f. pp. 46f,) had already largely predetermined the future borders of European integration. The European federalists had therefore lost almost all hope of achieving a pan-European uunion. With this, Churchill's plan for a Wester European nnion took cen- tte stage 2s the only remaining altemative. In the period between October 1948 and February 1949, al existing Eu- ropean organisations ~ with the exception of the Parliamentarian Union — agreed to merge into the European Movement. This newly created umbrella ‘organisation held its fist congress in Brussels from 25 to 28 February 1949. It could already draw on the decisions taken by the govermments of the Brus- sels Pact on 29 January 1949. These latter envisaged the creation of a Eu- ropean Council of Ministers and a European Consultative Assembly to be- come then two main organs of the future Council of Europe, The next task ‘was to lay the foundation for the following stage of unification. The political guidelines adopted by the Congress are strongly marked by\the East-West confrontation overshadowing everything, Nevertheless, these decisions still contain a clear commitment to a union of all European nations, from which Eastern Europe should not be excluded. In December of the same year, a 40 cultural conference organised by the European Movement in Lausanne gave birch to two institutions which exist to this day, namely the College of Europe in Bruges (Belgium) and the European Cultural Centre in Geneva (with, 2s its founder, Denis de Rougemont) [D7]. The creation of the Council of Europe and the demand to sct up 2 Eu~ ropean court for human rights probably represent the maximum that such @ diverse and heterogeneous umbrella organisation like the European Move- ment could achieve merely four years after the war. Its only feasible policy consisted in trying to make sure, as Eugen Kogon said at the end of the Brussels congress with restrained optimism, first, that European unification did not come to a halt, second, that all active forces in Burope would remain represented in it and, third, that Eastern Europe would not be forgotten. ‘The almost revolutionary idealism of the European federalists coming from the resistance movement had to make way to the sober pragmatism of those politicians for whom national interests had sill priority and whose European policy resigned itself — perhaps too quickly ~ to the continent's division. Documents D I: Léon Blum on the future of Europe, 14.10.1939 ans bot wich we soc tink ane wih wold ae Go icorporation into a Eucopean organisation ~ an organisation which wot HEDa ical gaitantce against a rouun of acs of violence and create by wale Clemens of teal secu and a durable peace, We sve agin and agin at he fee conclusion ad foumul: the independence of uations win the famework Sf edestive and diarmed Europe: These are our war sine, which doesnot tean anything ce than tht they are the preconditions for pence, ; ‘The ‘Soure: Centre d'sction pout la fdémtion européenne (ed). aL’Burepe de demaine. New Tact heel 1945, p. 90 (randated by editor) D 2: Programme of the German opposition for Germany and Europe. Statement by a German pastor in Stockholm, May 31, 1942 (excerpt) , Himmler, Goering,-Goebbels, Ley and Co., together wath “Soin the central leades ofthe Gestapo the SS. andthe S.b. would be destroyed ~ at the same time, especially aso in the occupied countries 441 Expectations and Disappointments ofthe First Postwar Years (1945-1947) ‘This change of power would not lead to the extablihment of aultary clique con ‘rolling the whole situation but to the coming into power of a government com- posed by trong representatives of the tree Key groups which is able and definitely Prepared to bring abou a complete change ofthe present system of ivlesiicand ‘Tis progamme is detensined by the flowing main sms: jerman nation governed by lw and social justice with a lange degree of sSiponibleselfadninhation dhoughout the diferent main provinew. 2, Reconstruction of the economic order according to truly socialist lines, instead. of el sulicient anarchy a close cooperation betweea fee nations; the economic interdependence becoming the strongest possible guarantee agains self reactionat Estopean mltaism. see 3. A European federation of fice states or nations, including G: states or nations, including Great Britain, which would cooperate a a lose way with other federations of rations, is federation of free European nations to which would belong a fice Polish and a fee Czech nation should have a common executive, under the authority of which a European army would be created for the permanent ordeting of European security The foundation principles of national and social life within this federation of free Baropean nations should be orientated or reoriented towards the fundamen principles of Christian faith and life. eee ‘Source: Viertljahreshete fie Zeitgesehichte. Vel. 5 (1957) pp. 3956. (translated by elton) D 3: Proposed Declaration on European Cooperation, prepared by resistance fighters from various European countries, spring 1944 (excerpts) Bar a reir atau eee Sool etoeg tron Dea tas ah omy. be edt seem cr te reso oe ltr sean i cu corsets el ites agg adel png carte st capt aman peopl in 2 living Burope without besoming a danger for the other pcopies™ Same Cae aon po dein euopénne (0) nLBaope decom cchatel, 1945, p. 70 (ecanslated by editor) Perce aie 2 D 4: Polish Resistance and Europe. ‘An article in the journal »Freiheit«, February 1844 (excerpts) ‘The reconstruction of Europe and the peace in the world will be possible only within a xCommenwealth of Nations« which will not only render impossible armed conflicrs and the threats that go with them but 2so social and economic struggles. [.] Today's desize for revenge, justified and understandable, avvakens in us a vivid thirst for justice. [..] Bue we must give up the position of revenge and stick to the idea of justice. Ordering Europe on a new basis of cooperation, security and liberty would give Poland the perspective of a new fixture. ‘Souce: Centre d'action pour la &dération européenne (ed). L'Ewope de demain, Nea ehdtel 1945, p. 105 (ranslced by edo) D 5: The Economic and Social Council Resolution, March 28, 1947 (excerpts) "The Economic Commission for Bucope has — within the guidelines of the United [Nations and under the general supervision of the Council ...] the following tasks: 2) to launch, and participate in, the promotion of the projected cooperation in view of the economic reconstruction of Europe, the accelention of the European, ‘economic activity and the maintenance and strengthening cf the internal and ex- ‘temal economic relations of the European countries; 1) to either implement or support all studies, considered to be useful, as economic. and technical problems of member states of the Commissioa regarding economic cor technical developments in these countries and in the whole of Europe. “Sore: tp: /ovwr.chinataiwan,org/wreb/svebportal/W5025253/Vadenin/ASD67898.hem) > D 6: Speech by Winston Churchill in Zurich, September 19, 1946 (excerpts) “We must build» kind of United States of Eucope.In this way only will hundreds of inillions of toilers be able to regain the simple joys and hopes which make Hie ‘worth living. The proces is simple. All that is needed isthe resolve of hundreds “of milions of ien aid women to do right instead of widrg.and.tp gain as their reward Blessing instead of cursing. ‘Much wort has been done upon this task by the excrtions of the Pan-European. ‘Union, which owes 30 much fo the fimous Prench patriot and statesman Aristide j 4) 8