862.01/11–2448
Memorandum of Conversation, by the United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy)1
Dr. Adenauer, President of the Parliamentary Council at Bonn, called on me today at his request.2 He desired to make a courtesy call as we had never had an opportunity to get together. I told him that we had been disappointed two or three times in the past as we had hoped to see him in Berlin before this. He said in explanation of [Page 444] his failure to visit Berlin in 1946–47 that he was determined to have no dealings with the Soviet Military Administration representatives. He had been under considerable pressure from members of his Party in the East Zone who felt that an understanding with the Russians was possible. Adenauer had never shared this view and did not desire to compromise himself. A number of suggestions had been made that he should get together with Colonel Tulpanov, for example, and he had steadfastly refused. Adenauer declared with feeling that he had always regarded the present Soviet regime as an enemy of our civilization, based on evil. He said that he had never had any faith in Russian sincerity to achieve a peaceful and friendly understanding with the West. On the other hand, he believed they were taking every advantage to achieve their own ends and that their approach to quadripartite control of Germany had always been cynical and dishonest. Adenauer had been happy to come to Berlin at this time and felt that his meetings here had been successful. He spoke warmly in praise of the attitude of the Berlin population.
We discussed the work of the Parliamentary Council at Bonn and I inquired regarding Dr. Adenauer’s estimate of timing. He said that he thought the work of the Council would be finished before Christmas. He said that he estimated that the Military Governors would then probably require one month to pass upon the text and that six weeks would be required for the Referendum. Following that, the preparations for the election of the members of the future German Parliament would require also about six weeks; therefore, it might be possible to establish the new government by the end of April or the beginning of May 1949.
Dr. Adenauer said in that connection that in his opinion the principal difficulty lay in reconciling the views of his Party with the Social Democrats. At the moment he said that he was at sea over their attitude on several questions.
He said that one feature which had been neglected thus far in the directives and in the discussions at Bonn is the matter of an election law. He urged that this question be considered by Military Government, if it has not already been thought of, and that some indication be given to the Parliamentary Council as to the views of the Military Governors on this subject.
I discussed with Dr. Adenauer his recent conversation with the French Foreign Minister, M. Schuman. Adenauer said that during the course of the two-and-a-half hours interview, Schuman made it clear that he believed that the ancient feud between France and Germany should end and that this is the time to work for a real rapprochement. Dr. Adenauer said he fully understands French apprehensions regarding future German aggression but he is convinced that with a determined effort to achieve an understanding these apprehensions [Page 445] can be proved unfounded. He said quite frankly that in his opinion the way of life and ideas of the population in West Germany lent itself far better to such an end than is the case in some sections at least of East Germany where Marxism and exaggerated nationalism have taken a firmer grip on the people. He attributed this in part to the religious influences of West Germany which, he said, are absent in many parts of East Germany. While Dr. Adenauer did not say so in so many words, he left with me the clear impression that he does not look for nor hope for the inclusion of parts of East Germany in the government now under consideration at Bonn.
In that connection, Dr. Adenauer told me in confidence that Schuman had advanced a personal theory on the question of state boundaries. According to this personal theory, Germany would be divided into three grand sub-divisions, which Schuman named a Rhine State, a Danube State, and an Elbe State. Adenauer said that Schuman was a little vague on the question whether he visualized a federal system (Bundestaat) or a federated state (Staatenbund). Dr. Adenauer also said that much to his surprise Schuman brought up the question of French intervention in German cultural affairs and had voluntarily said that he, Schuman, disapproved of many things that the French had been doing in this field, particularly French interference in educational affairs, Schuman said that he had given orders to change this policy and to stop much of the interference in German cultural matters. Dr. Adenauer said that whether Schuman’s orders are obeyed or not will remain to be seen.
I asked Adenauer how the CDU relationship with the CSU in Bavaria stood at the moment, noting that he had recently visited Munich. He said he was satisfied that things party-wise were not going too badly but that the leadership in Bavaria left much to be desired. He is happy about the Bavarian Minister President, Dr. Ehard, but expressed a low opinion of Josef Mueller’s influence on the party. He characterized him as an adventurer who would not last. On the other hand, he respects Dr. Hundhammer.
I asked Dr. Adenauer regarding the relationship of Military Government Liaison Officers with the Parliamentary Council Group at Bonn and he spoke in complimentary terms of U.S. liaison, especially Mr. Simons, and said that the relationship between the Germans and the US/UK and French Liaison Officers is entirely satisfactory. He said that the Liaison Officers perhaps were apt to entertain a little too much and that Germans are prone to talk too freely under the influence of alcohol, but apart from that he had no comment.
- This memorandum was transmitted to the Department under cover of a brief personal letter from Ambassador Murphy to Jacob Beam on November 24, not printed.↩
- On November 23 and 24 Dr. Adenauer paid a brief electoral campaign visit to Berlin. In his airgram A–892, November 24, from Berlin, not printed, Ambassador Murphy commented that the Adenauer visit was “an event of primary political importance.” Murphy, in reporting on Adenauer’s campaign activities, concluded that Adenauer was undoubtedly the undisputed leader of the Christian Democratic Union. (862.00/11–2448)↩