Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower papers, Whitman file
No. 190
Chancellor Adenauer to
President Eisenhower1
Informal Translation
My Dear Mr. President: I have asked my personal assistant, Herr Blankenhorn, Assistant Secretary of State, to deliver to you the enclosed letter2 in which I set forth a few thoughts on a conference of the Four Powers and on the solution of the question of Germany.
May I use this opportunity to tell you how much I like to think back to our discussions in Washington.3 We have achieved in these talks an agreement of opinions on all essential issues which means to me again and again the confirmation that the adopted course is the right one. Western Europe will only be able to hold its ground in the West-East conflict if it unites and builds up an effective common defense as quickly as possible. Only in this way—of that I am firmly convinced—will it be able to preserve for itself the interest and support of the United States. These considerations are today generally accepted by the overwhelming majority of the German people. I am certain that the coming parliamentary elections will express this unequivocally. The consistent attitude of the Federal Republic will become an incentive for the other peoples of Western Europe also to follow to the end the path toward union started upon.
I very strongly feel the desire, my dear Mr. President, to renew my thanks for the fine days in Washington most valuable to me and to join to these thanks my sincere wishes with regard to the heavy burden of work which rests in these days particularly upon you. Please convey my respects and kindest regards to Mrs. Eisenhower.
Sincerely yours,
- Attached to a copy of Dulles’ memorandum of conversation, Document 192.↩
- No copy of this letter was found attached to the source text. For text of this letter, dated May 29, see supra.↩
- For documentation on Adenauer’s visit to Washington, see Documents 177 ff.↩