A change of Ambassadors
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Herbert Blankenhorn
(Translated from Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 6 April 1965)
After three and a half years, Ambassador Hasso von Etzdorf has left the British capital. His successor, Herbert von Blankenhorn, has taken up his work as the fourth representative of the Federal Republic at the Court of St. James's.
Etzdorf's London time was especially filled with dramatic events and developments, the climax of which was the fiasco of the Brussels negotiations for British entry into the European Community, the Macmillan government crisis, the change in the Conservative leadership from Macmillan to Home and Labour's election victory.
When Etzdorf took his leave from Prime Minister Harold Wilson and Foreign Secretary Michael Stewart, both confirmed the excellent state of Anglo-German relations. The British regretted it as unnecessarily harsh that, having reached retirement age, the Ambassador's London activity could not be prolonged over the forthcoming visit of Queen Elizabeth in Germany. But he will be an honourary member of the Queen's entourage. For the new Ambassador, Blankenhorn, the State Visit in Germany is an excellent start to his mission. On his arrival, he was able to reject some foolish accusations from leftist radicals, as British newspapers had taken up his defence. They have made him extraordinarily welcome, above all The Times, writing that even his critics regarded him as the most brilliant among the higher German diplomats.
