grand coalition

After the resignation in November 1966 of Federal Chancellor Ludwig Erhards (CDU) and the collapse of the governmental coalition of the CDU/CSU and FDP Willy Brandt considers entering into a coalition with the FDP. A social-liberal coalition could enable the election of Willy Brandt as Chancellor, although by a wafer-thin margin of two votes. But Willy Brandt declines to enter into a coalition with the FDP, which at the time is still encumbered by factionalism between national and liberal democrats.

During the night before December 1, 1966 the SPD-Bundestagsfraktion fraction in the Bundestag (Lower House of the Federal Parliament) decides to accept a "grand coalition" with the CDU/CSU under Federal Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger (CDU). Brandt - now a member of the government as Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister - resigns his post of Governing Mayor of Berlin. He has directed the history of that city since 1957.

Kurt Georg Kiesinger and Willy Brandt on December 1, 1966 ©Bundesbildstelle

As Foreign Minister Willy Brandt wants to avoid the international isolation of the Federal Republic. He sees this danger - which is heightened by the fact that more and more states are establishing diplomatic relations with the DDR - in the continuing application in Federal foreign policy of the "Hallstein Doctrine" (since 1955). According to this, the Federal Government threatens to take far-reaching measures up to and including the breaking of diplomatic relations with states that recognize the DDR and that exchange ambassadors with East Berlin. This policy is based on the concept that the Federal Republic of Germany with its free and democratic basic system stands alone as the legitimate successor to the German Reich that collapsed in 1945 and that only it can speak for the German people (Alleinvertretungsanspruch or the assertion of the right to exclusive representation). In the view of the Federal Republic there cannot be two states in German territory. The application of the Hallstein doctrine has the result that the Federal Republic has no diplomatic relations with the states of the East Bloc, except for the USSR itself.

Willy Brandt brings about the first movement in the Federal policy toward the East (Ostpolitik). He modifies the Hallstein Doctrine for Eastern Europe, sends ambassadors to Rumania and Yugoslavia, and concludes agreements with the Czech government to establish trade representatives in Bonn and Prague. He enters into discussions with the regime in Moscow concerning a mutual renunciation of force declaration.

Willy Brandt is convinced that German unification can take place only in the long term and only when the division of Europe is overcome in a permanent European peace settlement. Brandt wants to work toward a reduction of political tensions and an understanding and reconciliation among European nations.

In June 1968 Brandt summarizes his East European policies at a meeting of the NATO Council. He proposes a new peace policy. He contributes to the formulation of the "signal of Reykjavik", proposing a mutual and balanced troop reduction in Central Europe.

The new proposals in Eastern and German policy of the "grand coalition" represent significant progress for Willy Brandt. But the agreement on Eastern and German policies between Federal Chancellor Kiesinger and Foreign Minister Brandt diminishes toward the end of the legislative term in 1969. The CDU/CSU is not prepared to accept the status quo in Europe.