Derek Pennington: The German Peace

The British wanted one hundred and thirty aircraft, and the Australians forty nine.

Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Ecuador, France, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Sweden and Venezuela had confirmed they wanted the aircraft.

“Germany has a world beating aircraft industry, gentlemen. We must ensure that we never lose this pre-eminent position.”

The Economics Minister told the Council about a number of the smaller, poorer countries that constituted most of the membership of the United Nations were demanding — not asking, but demanding — that the rich countries of the world spend a fixed portion of their yearly budget on aid to the poor countries.

“It seems that such a notion may have been put in their collective heads by liberal American politicians and churchmen, who are preaching that it is the quickest and surest way to reduce poverty and uplift poor nations, so eliminating the cause of wars.” Erhard looked to the sceptical Council for comment.

It was von Altendorf that spoke. “An American president once said ‘the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant. It’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.’

I personally regard such envisaged transfers of wealth as a quick and sure way to personally enrich the ruling elites of the poor countries.”

It was the Defence Minister who asked if Erhard knew what portion of budgets these people had in mind?

“I believe they see one percent yearly as the minimum acceptable.”

“ONE PERCENT. ARE THEY CRAZY? Our country’s defence budget is only three percent, and that is set to reduce next year.” He looked away, disgusted.

Von Brauchitsch had the last word. “By agreeing to such a nonsensical idea, the richer countries would chain themselves to ever increasing demands for aid, which will drain resources from them and gradually affect their strength over a period of time. And I think, there would be little impact on the countries receiving such aid.

You do not make the weak strong by making the strong weak.

I also agree that much of this aid will be stolen or misspent by corrupt or inept politicians in these third world countries. I have no personal objection to the principle of aiding deserving nations. But it should be in a way that is accountable.

I recommend that the Foreign Minister lets the appropriate people at the UN, and our friends in the Alliance, firmly know that Germany will not be party to such a scheme”.

This received the unanimous support of the council.

The Defence Minister had little to report; Professor von Braun expected to test fire his latest rocket in November. This particular missile, the A5, was much bigger than the A4, and was designed to have an estimated range of one thousand kilometres. The distance between Alliance territory and Moscow in Russia.

Progress with the stand-off bombs and air-to-air missiles was continuing but slow.

The keels for the new carriers had been laid. They were expected to be operational in 1952. They would be the most up to date and powerful carriers in the world.

The investiture of the German Chancellor was without doubt the most popular public event held in Britain that year. The British populace were generally well informed, and there had been innumerable publications and radio talks on the events in Europe and China in the years since mid-1940. There was a widespread understanding that the German soldier had been the leader in Germany from the instant of Hitler’s death.

He was also, in the minds of many conspiracy theorists, the mastermind behind the fall of Hitler and the Nazis, and the acknowledged architect of the peace in Europe and the Far East. The man who had successfully negotiated arms limitations with the feared Soviet Union. His prestige was sky-high in Britain.

The honour bestowed on him by the King was justly deserved. Many public figures in Britain had called for him to be given a British peerage. At least an Earldom. Such was the high regard for the German Chancellor that prevailed across Great Britain.

The King had held a Royal banquet in honour of his German guest. The German Foreign Affairs Minister had accompanied von Brauchitsch on his state visit.

The ties between the two countries were unbreakable.

Jeremy Blackstone and his wife Erica were spending Christmas with Katherine and Jamie. It was the first time they had all been together since the MacLellan’s had relocated to the United States.

Jeremy had resigned his commission in the British Army. After an unprecedented seven years as British Military Attaché in Berlin, the army had denied his requests for any further extensions of his stay. Jeremy had no wish whatsoever to leave the city which he had made his home. He left the army and was now a civilian.

As soon as he got back home to Berlin from this holiday in the US, he had an appointment with General Sieckenius. The General wanted the Englishman as part of his team! Jeremy didn’t let it show, but he was very, very excited about this!

His brother-in-law Jamie had also offered him a job in San Francisco, but Jeremy and Erica did not want to leave Europe. Besides which, Jeremy was looking forward to being in the arms and army training business with the Germans! It was more to his liking.

Jeremy and Jamie talked about the fact that James was now the second most powerful member of the board of directors of Bradlington Thornberry Bank. He was also now a director of the Mercantile Bank of California. He had made a startling success of his new career since losing his seat as a Member of Parliament.

Yet they both felt that the man was not completely happy — inside. They had both approached him about this at different times, only to be told they were wrong, and that he — James — was quite content with his life.

They had no option but to take him at his word.

Baron von Altendorf was relaxing on one of the garden seats looking out over his family estate. It was a warm beautiful day. The sort of day that made one glad to be alive.

It was only the previous month that he had, with great regret, retired as Germany’s Foreign Minister, after holding that office for the past ten years.

Ten eventful years.

His successor, Konrad Adenauer, was actually older than himself, but one wouldn’t think so, the way he intensely applied himself to his work. He was a man with great energy and committed to decency, diligence, order, Christian morals and values. He had been arrested several times in the 1930s as an opponent of the Nazi regime. The Baron was satisfied that Germany’s foreign affairs were in safe hands.

Von Altendorf had been deeply saddened by the unexpected and sudden death of his old friend, Walther von Brauchitsch, through a heart attack, in October 1948. ‘ Poor Walther,’ he thought. ‘He never did get to retire. Forced by circumstances to be a politician. Something he so despised. Nevertheless,he was the finest politician, and the finest man, I have ever had the honour to meet’.

The state funeral for the late Chancellor had seen the streets of Berlin thronged with multitudes wishing to pay their last respects to the man who had so ably led them out of war and into years of peace and unprecedented prosperity. The event had unexpectedly drawn more people even than Hitler’s funeral. A fitting tribute to you, Walther.

Foreign dignitaries from all over the world had been there to pay their last respects. King George VI, Prime Minister Churchill, President Truman, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, and the kings, prime ministers and presidents of every country in Europe, as well as others from South America and the Indian sub-continent. Even Khrushchev had ventured outside of the Soviet Union for this sad event.