Introduction (back to top)

Hallstein Doctrine (back to top)

Willy Brandt & Ostpolitik (back to top)

• Willy Frahm, born out of wedlock to salesgirl; never met father (tho he later learned his name)
• 1929: joined Socialist Youth, then socialist party
• 1930: apprentice in shipping company
• 1933: fled from Nazis to Norway; adopted pseudonym "Brandt"
• 1937: journalist in Spanish Civil War
• 1938: Nazi Germany revoked citizenship
• 1940: arrested in Norway, fled to Sweden
• 1946: returned to Berlin1948: joined SPD, received German citizenship
• 1957-1966: Mayor of West Berlin
• 1961: candidate for chancellor
• 1965: candidate for chancellor
• 1964-1987: Chairman of SPD
• 1966: "Grand Coalition:"foreign minister and vice-chancellor
• 1969: elected chancellor
• 1970: knelt at Warsaw ghetto memorial
• 1971: Nobel Peace prize (for Ostpolitik)
• 1972: vote of confidence (45.8% vs. 44.9% CDSU)
• 1973: resigned after spy scandal

Dec. 2006 Die Welt article (in German): about how the Stasi prepared and manipulated the visit by West German chancellor Helmut Schmidt in Dec. 1981. The East German "paranoia" was caused by the "trauma" of Willy Brandt's immensely popular visit in 1970.

The Prague Spring, 1968 (back to top)

Alexander Dubcek (1921-92)
Party secretary Jan. 1968
Aug. 21, 1968: invasion
Nov. 1989: chair of assembly

Discussion of Hilton, The Wall (back to top)

Links (back to top) (last checked )