The old school tie
Old school ties and regimental ties are part of the idiosyncrasies of the island race, and that wise saying "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" might almost have been coined as a warning for those foreigners unaware of the unwritten rules and sensitivities that seem to exist in the neckware regions. For Germans it has always been particularly galling that the British should arrogate to themselves a monopoly of certain beautiful colours, patterns and stripes. It seems intolerable that one should have to refrain from wearing, say, the distinguished dark-blue and wine-red tie of the Guards, simply because one had the misfortune not to have been part of that illustrious regiment. Englishmen may have to abide by these taboos, but foreigners?
When Ambassador Herbert Blankenhorn arrived at Heathrow Airport on Sunday, 4 April 1965, there was the customary group of officials waiting to receive him led by the Vice Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr. Duguid Malcolm, an old Etonian, wearing the appropriate tie. One of the young Embassy members, Thilo Stelzenmüller, went into the aeroplane and noticed at once that his new chief was wearing the same dark and lightblue striped tie as the Vice Marshal, naturally wholly innocent of his sacrilege. To avoid at least raised eyebrows right at the start of a new diplomatic mission when Anglo-German relations were still something of a very tender plant, the Attaché told the Ambassador to cover the incriminating article with his scarf and not let anyone see it. There was no time for further explanations, but when the welcome was over and they drove to Belgrave Square, there was a chance to explain the odd native custom. The Ambassador was, of course, deeply grateful to his rescuer with such presence of mind. In fact, the experience had a traumatic effect on Blankenhorn so that for ever after he wore only spotted ties or some with patterns that were sure not to be anyone's prerogative.
