British Attitudes Towards West Germany
| Author | Geoffrey Edwards |
| Published date | 01 October 1982 |
| Date | 01 October 1982 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/004711788200700406 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
2227
BRITISH
ATTITUDES
TOWARDS
WEST
GERMANY*
GEOFFREY
EDWARDS
THE
fall
of
the
government
of
Helmut
Schmidt
on
1
October
1982
provides
an
opportune
moment
at
which
to
examine
British
attitudes
towards
the
Federal
Republic
of
Germany.
While
Herr
Schmidt,
if
only
because
of
the
length
of
his
period
in
office,
had
for
many
come
to
epitomise
the
strengths
(and
weaknesses)
of
the
Federal
Republic,
Herr
Kohl
is
little
known
in
England.
The
uncertainties
within
German
politics,
underlined
by
the
change
of
government,
are
obviously
a
cause
for
concern
for
its
neighbours.
In
general,
however,
Britain’s
attitudes
towards
its
individual
Community
partners
have
been
the
product
of its
own
ambivalence
to
the
construction
of
Europe.
Atlanticism
as a
final
refuge
for
Britain’s
global
aspirations
remains
strong,
not
least
in
the
aftermath
of
the
Falkland
Islands
invasion.
The
weight
of
imperial
baggage
is
still
often
an
impediment
to
its
enjoyment
of
the
benefits
of
Community
membership.
The
Federal
Republic
of
Germany
is
not
only
burdened
by
its
past
history
but
is
additionally
constrained
by
its
sensitivity
to
public
opinion
outside
Germany.
In
England,
for
example,
Second
World
War
films
are
as
popular
as
ever,
even
with
audiences
that
can
have
no
memories
of
the
War
and
can
see
few
similarities
between
the
Germany
portrayed
on
the
screen
and
the
Germany
of
today.
But
even
those
who
fought
in
the
War
and
who
remain
in
positions
of
authority
have
slowly
had
their
views
modified
by
the
course
of
subsequent
events.
Yet
some
tensions
remain.
There
is
a
sense
of
unease
created
by
the
division
of
Germany
and
a
reluctance
to
believe
that
at
some
point
in
the
future,
West
Germany
would
not
want
to
seek
a
reunified
Germany,
possibly
even
outside
the
western
Alliance.
The
process
of
detente
through
the
1960s
and
1970s
which
culminated
in
the
Final
Act
of
the
Conference
on
Security
and
Cooperation
in
Europe
placed
East-West
relations
on
a
more
acceptable
basis
and
removed
much
of
the
suspicion
engendered
by
West
Germany’s
Ostpolitik.
The
subsequent
deterioration
in
the
West’s
relations
with
the
Soviet
Union,
particularly
after
the
invasion
of
Afghanistan,
brought
to
the
surface
the
values
placed
by
different
members
of
the
Alliance
on
maintaining
East-West
links.
The
reactions
of
Britain
and
Germany
were
not
so
dissimilar
as
those
of
the
FRG
*This
article
was
undertaken
as
part
of
a
study
of
the
German
role
in
the
European
Community
and
the
Atlantic
Alliance
being
carried
out
by
the
Institut
fur
Europaische
Politik,
Bonn.
To continue reading
Request your trial