German Bundestag Passes Motion Honoring the 75th Anniversary of the Marshall Plan
On Friday, March 31, the governing coalition of the German Bundestag passed a motion to honor the 75th anniversary of the Marshall Plan and to stress the ongoing need for a transatlantic partnership in fostering freedom, security, and prosperity.
Referring to April 3, 2023, the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Marshall Plan, the motion honors the U.S. economic development program named after U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, which laid the foundation for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. The Marshall Plan was a key building block in the close partnership linking Germany, Europe, and the United States to this day. It gave Europeans hope for a better future in freedom, security, and prosperity.
The motion called for permanent support for and highlighted the establishment of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, which was founded out of deep gratitude to the United States by German Chancellor Willy Brandt in 1972 as a memorial to the Marshall Plan, a symbol of the deep continuing German-American friendship.
"This Bundestag motion honors and recognizes this extraordinary history and reaffirms the Marshall Plan’s core tenants: boldness of vision, strong values-based leadership, and the shared hope for a better tomorrow,” said GMF President Heather Conley. “This plan transformed a war-devastated continent into a bedrock of prosperity and democratic resilience and strengthened America’s greatest partners and allies. Germany’s strong support for Ukraine and its sheltering of nearly one-million Ukrainian refugees are powerful examples of solidarity and unity. This is why GMF has prioritized the reconstruction of Ukraine as a key element on the transatlantic agenda, because a plan that is every bit as ambitious and generous in spirit as the original Marshall Plan is urgently needed as together, we lift up the dignity, security and prosperity of the Ukrainian people.”
Senior representatives from GMF attended the session in the Bundestag to witness this remarkable moment, including Robin West, chairman of GMF's Board of Trustees; Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, senior vice president for geostrategy; Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, Guido Goldman Distinguished Scholar for Geostrategy; and Sudha David-Wilp, senior fellow & regional director for Germany.
A majority of MdBs voted in favor of supporting Ukraine with a similar plan today to support its path to becoming a democratic member of the European Union based on the rule of law and shared values.
- Link to the debate (in German): Deutscher Bundestag - Multilateraler „Marshall-Plan“ für die Ukraine angenommen
- Adopted text (in German): 2006192.pdf (bundestag.de)
Contact: Irvin McCullough, Press Officer (DC); Angelina Sutalo, Senior Press Officer (Brussels)
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The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a non-partisan policy organization committed to the idea that the United States and Europe are stronger together. GMF champions the principles of democracy, human rights, and international cooperation, which have served as the bedrock of peace and prosperity since the end of World War II, but are under increasing strain. GMF works on issues critical to transatlantic interests in the 21st century, including the future of democracy, security and geopolitics, alliances and the rise of China, and technology and innovation. By drawing on and fostering a community of people with diverse life experiences and political perspectives, GMF pursues its mission by driving the policy debate through cutting-edge analysis and convening, fortifying civil society, and cultivating the next generation of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.
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