-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en»> http-equiv=content-type> Gottfried Niedhart analyzes the key role played by West Germany in the process of détente in Europe, which was understood by the West German political coalitions in power during this period as a means of transcending the status quo. At the same time, he explains the policies of the Warsaw Pact, whose members, unlike West Germany, saw détente as a means of preserving the status quo.
