Evening star., 1953-08-09
Germany
Old Tactic Of Playing Western Europe
Off Against Russia Reeuins Favor
By Joy Michel

many's greatness. He was not iso-
lated in his opinion.
Shortly before DR.. Adenauer's
visit to Washington, the German
monthly AuSSen PolitiE (Foreign
Policy limited at what could be a
new German foreign policy in the
making. Though this magazines
views cannot be taken as govern
ment opinion, they carry q lot of
weight because of the Importance of
their authors. who usually are ex-
perts in international politics, for
mer high-ranking state officials and
politicians. 1t was in this magazine
that the former State Secretary of
the Weimar republic and a politi-
clan from the prewar party which
was responsible for concluding the
Locarno pact, Herr von Rheinbaben,
said that Germany's situation in
1853 is much like that in the '20s,
in the days of Rapallo, Locarno
and Berlin. Herr Won Rheinbaben
wrote that Germany under no cir
cumstanceS should be tied to the
West alone. Friendship with Russia
is a political and national necessity
for Germany and this friendship
can be brought about, Won Rhein-
baben thinks, only when Russia is
assured that Germany will not allow
any intervention through her terri
tory against the u. S. S. r. He says
openly that the examples of Rapallo
and Berlin should be used.
The assumption is. of course. that
Germany will be strong enough to
play off East against West, and avoid
being gobbled up by either, particu-
larly the Communists.
Polond's Slice Of Germony
There are some other fears and
hopes to back up the rightist ele-
ments in Germany which believe that
friendship between Germany and
Russia is a prerequisite of German
national aspirations. The problem
of regaining parts of East Germany
lost to Poland after the World War
II is of equal Importance to most
Germans. It is, however, clear to
them that the first condition for any
rectif1cation of the Eastern from
tiers could be brought about peace
fully only with Russian consent.
If there is war, Germany would be-
come the battlefield. It is obvious
to all these Germans that the West
will not start the war to recover
the former German territory. And
thus rises this strange combination
Of left and right. Rightists think
that friendship and cooperation
with Russia Is necessary condition
. for recovery of the lost East Ger
man territory and for furthering
Germany's nationalist aspirations.
Leftists advocate friendship with
Russia for their own reasons.
There is also fear that the four
great powers could strike a deal
among themselves without Germany,
eventually perpetuating the present
German partition. This is another
reason for sources near to the gov
ernment to espouse a friendly Ger
man approach to the U. s. S. r.
Adenouer's Response
With elections only q month away,
Chancellor Adenauer could not neg
lect all these opinions without run
ming the risk of alternating the other
parties taking part in his govern
ment, especially since strong nation
alistic feeling in the Free Democratic
Party are rapidly growing. DR.. Ad-
enauer gave in to the extent of
proclaiming the desirability of as
Suring Russia that she need not fear
Western Europe'S security pact or
German participation in it.
AS long as DR.. Adenauer remains
the Chancellor Of the Bonn govern
ment, however it does not seem
probable that there will be q repe-
tition Of behind-the-bac deals with
Russia like those concluded between
Russia and Germany at Rapallo in
1925 or at Berlin in 1899.
But should the September 8 elec-
tions turn German policy either to
the right or the left. then the West
ern powers will have to be careful
20 that the Russians do not beat
them to the tape by securing an
agreement with Germany while the
West y still negotiating.