Abstract: Drawing on Yugoslav and German sources and literature, this paper analyzes the visit of Josip Broz Tito to the German Democratic Republic in June 1965. It deals with its prelude and preparations, but also the reactions and consequences it made on the relations between Yugoslavia and the two German states. Special emphasis is placed on the factors surrounding Yugoslav leadership`s decision to arrange an official visit to East Berlin, and its place within the larger foreign political orientation of the three countries.
Keywords: Josip Broz Tito, Walter Ulbricht, Yugoslavia, German Democratic Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, German question, Yugoslav-German relations
Summary
Josip Broz Tito’s visit to the German Democratic Republic in June 1965 was important not only in the context of bilateral relations, but also in a broader realm of German-German rivalries and their foreign political goals, as well as within the overall Yugoslav policy towards the German question and European security. It was the first official visit to the GDR by a leader from a country outside the Warsaw Pact and therefore quite significant for legitimizing the East German regime. Having that in mind, the hosts were prepared to temporarily set aside ideological and other disagreements, in the name of achieving international prestige. However, the visit did not result in any immediate and substantial gains for East Berlin. On the other hand, the West German government saw it as brutal interfering in German affairs, which led to worsening of Yugoslav-West German relations. Even though Bonn refused to settle open bilateral issues, it did not withdraw existing financial and trade agreements. For the Yugoslav side, Tito’s visit played a role in their campaign of rapprochement with the East, but also served as a manifestation of Yugoslav stance towards the German question and of its European policy. It was seen as a means of applying pressure on Bonn and its Hallstein doctrine, while simultaneously serving as an expression of solidarity towards the “peaceful” socialist Germany, which rejected territorial claims and “imperialist” ambitions. The official visit to East Berlin was therefore a deliberate step towards strengthening the international position of the German Democratic Republic, whilst also serving as a Yugoslav attempt to maintain its own non-bloc position.