Vatikanische Ostpolitik und die DDR

The harsh critique on the private audience for the Adschubeys – daughter and son in law of Nikita Khrushchev – on 7th March 1963 was met by John XXIII with a simple, but explosive phrase: “Such a little blessing doesn’t do any harm”. At that time, Msg. Agostino Casaroli, the so-called architect of the Vatican Ostpolitik, was in Vienna. During an UN-conference about diplomatic relationships he met with a number of with East-European representatives.John’s XXIII private audience and Casarolis open behavior in front of the Eastern diplomats during the conference, were a noticable change in the relationship with the countries behind the iron curtain – Wasn’t it Pope Roncalli who wanted to open the window to let fresh air into the catholic church?These two events mark the beginning of the New Vatican Ostpolitik.Even if the GDR played an extraordinary role in this diplomatic and political constellation, even through these external determinants (“Deutsche Frage” and after WWII-Borders etc.) the symptomatical character of the New Vatican Ostpolitik can be discovered – the attempt not to take side, but hold one’s own values. During the pontificates of John XXIII and Paul VI the Vatican established itselfas a fair-minded international protagonist. An important event for this after-II Vaticanum turn was the participation as full member at the CSEC.