Staking the Federalist Claim in Ellwangen, Frankfurt and Herrenchiemsee, March 1947–August 1948

Abstract

The discussions in the CSU concerning the constitutional reformation of postwar Germany had, as has been noted, begun with the foundation of the party. To be sure, in the early days these discussions had been conducted on a rather informal basis, often in the form of exchanges of correspondence, as the physical difficulties involved in politicians’ meeting one another could not easily be overcome.¹ This situation changed rapidly under the impact of the beginnings of reconstruction and the growing geopolitical alienation between East and West. Although it is historically inaccurate to classify that portion of Germany in the Soviet zone as ever having belonged to Eastern Europe, one may be allowed to say that, in the view of many responsible political leaders in the British and American zones, Eastern Europe had come to them in the van of the Soviet army in 1945. Minister-President Ehard’s assertion that the whole of Germany would be intellectually, politically, spiritually, and economically delivered ‘to the East’ if a Teilföderation were not erected was not only a plea for a particular policy, but also the manifestation of a genuine apprehension.²