14.2.2005/PH From Ostpolitik towards a European Peace Order? The Federal Republic of Germany and European Détente ”Signature of the year”

14.2.2005/PH

From Ostpolitik towards a European Peace Order?The Federal Republic of Germany and European Détente

”Signature of the year”

14.2.2005/PH

Superpower détente vs. European détente

The German question at the heart of the cold war in Europe

Impact of West German détente policies: continuity or change?

”Everybody loves Germany now!”

Introduction: Europe, Germany and Détente

14.2.2005/PH

The Grand Design of Brandt and Bahr

Change through rapprochement

Answer to the German question only possible after a European solution

Evolution of bilateral agreements into a ”European peace order” as a long-term goal

”… ”… working towards a state working towards a state of peace in Europe, in which of peace in Europe, in which the German people can the German people can regain its unity in free self-regain its unity in free self-determination”determination”

14.2.2005/PH

Bilateral Détente: West German Ostpolitik

””The key is in Moscow”The key is in Moscow”

Main issues: Main issues: renunciation of force, renunciation of force, inviolability of borders, inviolability of borders, coming to terms with coming to terms with the past the past

German-German German-German negotiations: ”from no negotiations: ”from no relations to bad relations to bad relations”relations”

14.2.2005/PH

Multilateral Détente: The FRG in the Western Alliance

”Ostpolitik begins in the West”

Harmel Report and MBFR: NATO as a political actor

European Political Cooperation: from the Six to the Nine

The CSCE: overlapping Western institutions

14.2.2005/PH

Amplifying Ostpolitik: The FRG and the CSCE

Instrumentalisation

Active engagement in the conference preparations

Basket I: principles

Basket II: economy

Basket III: human rights

Basket IV: follow-up

14.2.2005/PH

Conclusion: The End of an Era

Conservative nature of détente in general

Limits of West German freedom for manoeuvre

The German question was not solved, only left open

Short-term and long-term consequences