London Conference (1950)

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The London Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Western Allies took place May 11-13, 1950. The main issue was the integration of the Federal Republic of Germany into the West .

In advance, the American government had called for greater integration of Western Europe, including the Federal Republic of Germany. Above all, the USA attached great importance to Germany being accepted into the Council of Europe. The federal government was skeptical of this request, because the Saar area wanted to become a member and demanded various concessions, for example with regard to the rights of the occupying powers. The US did not want to get involved.

At the conference itself, the participants agreed that the West integration of the Federal Republic was necessary. Admission to NATO was not yet connected with this. The Western Allies also discussed the Schuman's plan for a coal and steel union published on May 9th . On May 10, 1950, she gave her consent to this proposal. The Assembly also welcomed the decision of the Federal Government announced on the same day to seek membership of the Council of Europe.

In return, the foreign ministers emphasized that the Allies continued to claim supreme power in Germany, but were ready to further restrict their powers. The extent of this declaration of intent has not yet been determined. However, it was announced as a target perspective that if the Federal Republic of Germany were to be integrated into Europe, the Western powers would forego all controls and "sovereignty will be granted to the greatest possible extent that is compatible with the basis of occupation rule."

A special working group ("Intergovernmental Study Group on Germany") was set up for the necessary changes to the occupation statute. This was also commissioned to clarify the status of the former German Reich under international law .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Walter Schwengler: The double claim: sovereignty and security. On the development of the status of the Federal Republic of Germany under international law from 1949 to 1955. In: Beginnings of West German Security Policy 1945–1956. Vol. 4, Munich 1997, p. 223.

literature

  • Hans Jürgen Küsters: Documents of Germany Policy . Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag 1998, ISBN 3486561723 , pp. 758–781 ( excerpt in the Google book search)
  • Walter Schwengler: The double requirement: sovereignty and security. On the development of the status of the Federal Republic of Germany under international law from 1949 to 1955. In: Beginnings of West German Security Policy 1945–1956. Vol. 4, Munich 1997, ISBN 3-486-56068-9 , p. 223.