Walter Hallstein

Walter Hallstein (17 November 1901 – 29 March 1982) was a German academic, diplomat, and politician. He was the first president of the Commission of the European Economic Community. He was one of the founding fathers of the European Union.

Walter Hallstein
President of the European Commission
In office 7 January 1958 – 30 June 1967
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Jean Rey
Personal details
Born	(1901-11-17)17 November 1901 Mainz, German Empire
Died	29 March 1982(1982-03-29) (aged 80) Stuttgart, West Germany
Political party	Christian Democratic Union
Alma mater	Friedrich Wilhelm University

Hallstein is also the person behind the Hallstein Doctrine, wich the former state of West Germany proclaimed in 1955. It meant that West Germany wouldn't have diplomatic relations with countries that recognized East Germany.

Walter Hallstein Media

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  Hallstein was taken prisoner by American troops in Cherbourg in 1944

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  The Palais Schaumburg (1950), seat of the Federal Chancellery in 1950, where Hallstein worked before the German Foreign Office was formed

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  1955 German Foreign Office building

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  West Germany joins NATO: Walter Hallstein (left) with Konrad Adenauer (centre) and Ambassador Herbert Blankenhorn (right) at the NATO Conference in Paris in 1954

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  Second reading of the Paris Treaties in the Bundestag on 25 February 1955

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  After Heinrich von Brentano was appointed Foreign Minister, Walter Hallstein retained his very influential status at the Foreign Office.

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  Economics minister Ludwig Erhard had opposing views on the path of European integration.

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  Konrad Adenauer, Walter Hallstein and Antonio Segni, signing the European Customs Union and Euratom in 1957 in Rome

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  In 1961, the British government under Prime Minister Harold Macmillan applied to join the EEC.

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  Edward Heath led Britain's application to join the EEC. He shared Hallstein's private nature and interest in music.