Conclusion

Abstract

The life of Willy Brandt has the quality of a fairy tale. This applies to the ‘rags to riches’ aspect of the rise of a poor and illegitimate working class lad to become Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. It also seems to appear in the later part of his life, when after the comparative failure of the North-South Commission and his resignation from the SPD leadership in controversy, Brandt’s earlier work suddenly came to unexpected fruition with Gorbachev’s change of course in Eastern Europe which led to the realization of Brandt’s most cherished objectives. From the peaceful existence of semi-retirement Brandt was catapulted into the heights of public acclaim.