On this day 70 years ago,

Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko presented a proposal to the three Western victorious powers of World War II to resolve the “German question.”  The German Reich was divided into 4 occupation zones after the victory of the Allies USA; Soviet Union, France and Great Britain over the Nazi regime in 1945, from which emerged the 1949 Federal Republic of Germany (BRD) with the support of the Western Allies and the German Democratic Republic (DDR) created by the Soviet Union. Reunification of the divided Germany was unlikely, as both states were integrated into the two power blocs of the Cold War. Nevertheless, there were efforts on both sides to reunite the two German states. Since a peace treaty between Germany and the victorious powers was still pending, the Soviet dictator Stalin proposed peace negotiations to the Western powers with the prospect of a reunited Germany. This diplomatic note, later called the Stalin note, included the following points: A peace treaty of all warring parties with the participation of an united German government, the reunification of Germany under a democratically elected government with respect for freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, and a multiparty system, a withdrawal of all occupation forces from German soil and the establishment of armed forces for defense and the production of necessary armaments. The most important point, however, was the neutrality of the reunified Germany, which would not be allowed to join any military alliance directed against a state that had participated in World War II.

Although the Adenauer government responded to this offer, it first wanted to ensure that the BRD’s integration into the Western alliance and economic system was complete in order to protect itself from the influence of the Soviet Union. Accordingly, the response of the Western powers was intended to delay peace negotiations for the time being. The prevailing view in the German government was that Stalin’s note was not to be taken seriously, so Adenauer continued his policy of Western integration unperturbed. This distrust was also widespread among the BRD’s population, even if isolated voices were raised that this offer should at least be seriously considered. Nevertheless, the Soviet Union’s advance came to nothing and Westgermany was incorporated into the Western alliance system over the years, so that German reunification did not become possible until 1990.

Since 1952, there have been repeated voices that view this hesitation as a missed opportunity for speedy reunification.The majority of historians, however, assume that Stalin merely wanted to prevent the BRD’s integration into the West. Nevertheless, some historians argue that Stalin’s note was meant seriously and that the behavior of the Western powers would have prevented a quick reunification of Germany.

(sp)