Adenauer and Britain
At the end of World War Two, Adenauer had neither any special emotional feelings for Great Britain nor the "trauma of unrequited love" which so many Germans did have. His dismissal from the office of Lord Mayor by the British in autumn 1945 was a bitter disappointment, but it did not change or really influence his relationship with Britain. This relationship developed very well after he became Chancellor and in the course of co-operation with the High Commissioners. In Adenauer's concept of Europe, Great Britain had a firm place just like France. Adenauer modified his attitude towards Great Britain when Great Britain, because of its Commonwealth commitments and special relationship with America, rejected the European plans. The best time of his relationship with Great Britain was undoubtedly the London Conference of 1954 (WEU). At that time, Adenauer was very disappointed and worried about France and did not want to be left alone with France in the Six.
When de Gaulle came to power and Franco-German reconciliation got under way, Great Britain became less of a concern in Adenauer's thoughts. The absence of a congenial partner in the British political leadership made the situation more difficult. The relationship was also hampered by the fact that the controversy over the breaking-off of the negotiations on British entry into the EEC also affected internal affairs in Germany. Within the CDU, the supporters of the Anglo-American axis and the Gaullists argued and made life hard for the Chancellor. The more difficult European co-operation became, the more resolutely and eagerly he worked on his Friendship Treaty in which he also saw a guarantee against Soviet moves towards France. He always warned of the danger of a new envelopment of Germany by a Franco-Russian alliance. Adenauer did not live to see Britain's third and successful application to join the EEC. But it is a fact that he would have welcomed Britain's entry. For his last thoughts and work were no longer dedicated only to the Franco-German relation-ship but, literally until his dying day, he worked for European unity.
Karl-Günther von Hase speaking at the Konrad Adenauer Memorial Lecture given at St. Anthony's College, Oxford, 1978, published by St Anthony's College, Oxford and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 1983.
