Allied High Commission

The Allied High Commission (also known as the High Commission for Occupied Germany, HICOG; in German Alliierte Hohe Kommission, AHK) was established by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and France after the 1948 breakdown of the Allied Control Council to regulate and supervise the development of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).

The Commission took its seat at the Hotel Petersberg near Bonn and started its work on September 21, 1949. It ceased to function under the terms of the Bonn–Paris conventions, on May 5, 1955.

The Occupation Statute specified the prerogatives of the Western allies vis-à-vis the German government, and preserved the right to intervene in areas of military, economic, and foreign policy importance. These rights were revised in the Petersberg Agreement several weeks later.

With the creation of the Federal Republic and the institution of the High Commission, the position of the Military Governors was abolished. Instead each of the three Western allies named a High Commissioner.

High commissioners:

  • United States of America:
    • September 2, 1949 – August 1, 1952 John J. McCloy
    • August 1, 1952 – December 11, 1952 Walter J. Donnelly
    • December 11, 1952 – February 10, 1953 Samuel Reber (acting)
    • February 10, 1953 – May 5, 1955 James Bryant Conant
  • United Kingdom:
    • September 21, 1949 – June 24, 1950 Sir Brian Hubert Robertson
    • June 24, 1950 – September 29, 1953 Sir Ivone Kirkpatrick
    • September 29, 1953 – May 5, 1955 Sir Frederick Hoyer-Millar
  • France:
    • September 21, 1949 – May 5, 1955 André François-Poncet

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