505. Letter From Secretary of State Herter to Chancellor Adenauer0

Dear Dr. Adenauer: I appreciated receiving your frank expression of views1 on the question of German reunification. As you indicated, such frankness is a necessary ingredient of the kind of relationship of mutual trust and friendship which, I know, we both wish to have develop between us. This is something which I not only personally desire, but which I believe to be essential to the fullest harmonization of the policies of our Governments.

It is impossible to disagree with your realistic view that the Soviets will not permit the reunification of Germany, except on terms implying the communization of the entire country, until a possible point has been reached where they are willing to consider abandoning the communist system in the Soviet Zone because they no longer regard this area as significant in the conflict between the East and the West. This has been amply evidenced by the position taken by Mr. Gromyko on reunification during the course of the current Geneva Conference. I need not tell you, however, that constant pressure from the West in advocacy of reunification is required to keep before the eyes of the world and the German people the harsh reality of Soviet obduracy which lies at the bottom of the continued division of the country.

I regret very much if my luncheon remarks to Federal Minister Lemmer gave the impression that I was not fully aware of the basic agreement in our thinking in this matter. You will undoubtedly have received from Foreign Minister Von Brentano full reports of the position consistently taken by the Western Powers at Geneva in rejecting the Soviet proposal for an all-German committee. Through the instrumentality of such a body; the Soviets presumably would hope to move towards their dual objectives of enhancing the status of the so-called German Democratic Republic and maximizing the influence of communism throughout the Federal Republic without contributing in the slightest to the achievement of that reunification in freedom which can be the only kind of reunification acceptable to the West.

With warmest personal regards,

Most sincerely,

Christian A. Herter2
  1. Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204. Secret. Drafted by Hillenbrand and handed to Brentano on August 3 for delivery to the Chancellor.
  2. See Document 501.
  3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.