Hallstein Doctrine

The Hallstein Doctrine was a foreign policy of West Germany, established in the late 1950s. It dictated that West Germany would not maintain diplomatic relations with any country that recognized the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), with the exception of the Soviet Union. This policy aimed to isolate East Germany and assert West Germany's claim as the sole legitimate representative of the German people.1

In the late 1960s, West German Chancellor Willy Brandt introduced "Ostpolitik," a new approach to foreign policy. Ostpolitik sought détente with Soviet-bloc countries, including recognizing East Germany and expanding trade. This policy led to treaties with the Soviet Union and Poland, renouncing the use of force and recognizing Germany's post-1945 eastern borders. The Basic Treaty of 1972 between West and East Germany normalized relations, though it stopped short of full diplomatic recognition.21