Konrad Adenauer’s Historic Moscow Menu Recreated for Anniversary Gala in Cologne

Konrad Adenauer Anniversary and Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger Milestone Celebrated at Excelsior Hotel Ernst

More than 300 guests gathered at the Excelsior Hotel Ernst in Cologne to celebrate the 150th birthday of former German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and the 150th anniversary of the newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. Head chef Lars Wolf and his team at the hotel’s Hanse Stube restaurant recreated a historic five-course banquet for the two-day event. The menu replicated the official dinner Adenauer hosted in Moscow on September 11, 1955, for Soviet Communist Party leader Nikita Chruschtschow and the Soviet leadership during a pivotal diplomatic mission.

Diplomatic History and the Role of Wine Diplomacy

The anniversary celebrations highlighted the intersection of gastronomy and Cold War politics. Wine historian and former Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung editor Daniel Deckers explained to attendees how Adenauer utilized his deep knowledge of German wines—referred to as “weindiplomatie”—to break a deadlock during negotiations over the release of the last German prisoners of war held in the Soviet Union.

Adenauer served world-renowned German vintages during the 1955 Moscow meetings, including Bernkasteler Doctor Mosel Riesling from the Weingüter Wegeler, to honor the Soviet delegation. According to Deckers, this strategy helped ease tensions during high-stakes talks. Days after the banquet, the Soviet Union agreed to release thousands of remaining German prisoners of war and displaced civilians, marking a major diplomatic achievement for the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Contemporary Voices and Commemorative Cuvée

Joachim Frank, chief correspondent for the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, moderated the two evening events, which featured personal accounts from historical witnesses. Patrick Adenauer, the grandson of the former chancellor, and 95-year-old Katja Nordmann-Mörike—who served as a young interpreter for the German delegation in Moscow in 1955—spoke to the audience about their recollections.

To mark the dual anniversary, guests raised glasses of Kiedrich Gräfenberg from the Robert Weil winery in the Rheingau region. Organizers also introduced a commemorative wine called “Cuvée Adenauer,” a Spätlese produced from Mosel vineyards by Weingüter Wegeler. The commemorative bottle is available for purchase for 14.90 euros through the Kölner Weinkeller and online platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What historic event did the Excelsior Hotel Ernst banquet recreate?

The dinner recreated the official state banquet hosted by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer for Soviet leader Nikita Chruschtschow in Moscow on September 11, 1955.

Which wines were served during the anniversary celebration?

Guests enjoyed Bernkasteler Doctor Mosel Riesling from Weingüter Wegeler, Kiedrich Gräfenberg from the Robert Weil winery, and the newly launched anniversary wine “Cuvée Adenauer.”

Who attended the event as contemporary witnesses?

Patrick Adenauer, the grandson of Konrad Adenauer, and Katja Nordmann-Mörike, a 95-year-old former interpreter for the 1955 Moscow delegation, shared their memories during the program moderated by Joachim Frank.