The Birth of a German Foreign Policy Actor

Brandt, Bahr and the emergence of neue Ostpolitik

Germany oft mentioned in this course; but norm as object not subject.
FRG initially v passive actor in f.p. terms:
o In part reflect of actual limitations placed on FRG sovereignty
o In part reflect of G pop desire to avoid future calamity ohne mich!
o In part tactical choice to let others ta"e the strain free rider phenom!
o #ost crucial strong desire to avoid reviving fears amongst allies
$hen did act% oft to prevent x happening rather than in favour of y. &.g.
'denauer stance on (talin notes )*+,!. &pitomised by -allstein doctrine:
o .his stipulated that FRG /ld have no diplo contact /ith any country
/hich recog G0R: de facto ruled out contact /ith /hole & 1loc
o 2nly e3ception permitted: (oviet 4nion. 1ut even here rel hesitant
and frosty. 52$ issue% but also (4 hostility and 'd anti6communism
o .his meant that on reunif issue "ey fp concern! G stance had to be to
a/ait concess: Politik der Starke policy of strength! 7 default option
1egan to change in mid6)*89s:
o Reflect 'ds resignation. &rhard : then ;iesinger less committed.
o Reflect percept that policy going no/here:
-allst doctrine hard to enforce. 2bstructing G trade priorities.
'llies esp 4(! seen as less and less supportive dtente!
-ad failed to prevent erection of 1erlin $all )*8)!
o #ost radical ne/ ideas emerging in oppos (50; had changed sig since
its old% anti6$estern bloc% anti6&ur integ days. 1ad Godesberg
meeting )*+*!. 1ut also rise of figures li"e 1randt : 1ahr!
1randt had e3perience of dialogue /ith &ast from his
e3periences as #ayor 1erlin. 'lso v a/are of $all disaster.
1ut also someone /ho cld see mismatch bet/een 'd hardline
cld /ar stance and d<tente. Radical ideas from )*8) on/ards.
o 1ut even governing =04 forced to react. Gerhard (chr>der F#
)*8,68! e3peri /ith policy of movement. ?imited opening to &ast.
Real change began /ith )*886* Grand =oalit. ;iesinger =04! 7 =hancellor;
1randt became F#. 'ttmpt at real dialogue /ith &ast. 1ut limited results!
#ost date start of real OP to )*8* and elect of (506led govt. 1randt 7
=hancellor; 1ahr became "ey f.p. advisor but not F#!. ;ey concept Wandel
durch Annherung change thrgh engagement!:cld /ar realities inclu inter6
German! cld be modif thrgh dialogue inclu /ith G0R @ normalisation!.
o ?ed Auic"ly to series of "ey agreements: #osco/ .reaty )*B9!%
German65olish treaty )*B9!% Cuadripartite 5act on 1erlin )*B)! and
1asic .reaty bet/een G0R : FRG )*B,!
o 'lso allo/ed start of multilat dialogue bet/een 1locs previously
bloc"ed by G0R problem! )*BD6+ =onference on (ecurity and
=ooperation in &urope =(=&!. =ulmin: -elsin"i Final 'ct )*B+!
o Fed thrgh into more generalised atmos of d<tente. 4( forced to react.
;ey cold /ar episode; but /as it connected /ith &ur integE #y ans/er: yes
First connect is /ay in /hich G /on its spurs as inde diplo actor /ithin &=.
o ;ey role in react to )*8D crisis. (chr>der action plan.
o &ven bigger role in )*8+68 crisis.
o ?ed to a taste for activism. 1ro"e habits of passivity.
?in"ed also thrgh F6G relationship:
o G forced to alt stance partly by F activism t/ds & 1loc
o Init tried to use F as intermediary. 1ut /rec"ed partly by FFG
sAuabbles /ithin &= esp over G1 membership!
o Forced G to act alone.
#ost fundamentally% 1randt v conscious that succ Ostpolitik cld only be build
on basis of succ Westpolitik.
o &ngage /ith &ast rang alarm bells in F% G1 and 4(. -o/ever:
o 1randts G had not only build up repu for reliability : moderation vis6
G6vis its allies largely thrgh &ur integ and v close rel /ith 4(!
o 1ut also continued to engage in v active diplo t/ds $est during 25.
=lose dialogue /ith 4( 1ahr @ ;issinger bac" channel!
1ut also &ur dimension:
1randt "ey figure at .he -ague 0ec )*8*!
;ey ally of G1 as it approached &=
;ey advocate of &ur f.p. coop.
;ey player in ne/ &ur priority: monetary integ.
Ostpolitik /as therefore made much less disruptive than it /ld have been by
the e3tent to /hich previous t/o decades had embedded FRG in structures of
$estern cooperation. .hese inclu H'.2; but also esp crucial for "eeping
trust of F! inclu &=. =lear lin" bet/een &ur integ and =ld $ar stories.