dieter sattler found further uses for his experience of government service in july 1952, the month in which he was sent to rome as a cultural attaché by the recently formed west german government. he remained in rome till 1959. during his first few years much of his time was spent negotiating the return of the assets from the german culture and scientific institute which had been confiscated by the allied armies during the war. one of his projects, which later became a model for german cultural institutions overseas, was the german library in rome. meanwhile, in 1955 bonn–paris conventions, following several years of anglo-french wrangling, were ratified and came into force in 1955, providing that west germany should from that point acquire "the full authority of a sovereign state over its internal and external affairs". most of the longer established members of the diplomatic community came with career histories that meant their contributions were no longer required by the west german diplomatic service. sattler's own record seems not to have embarrassed anyone, however, his obdurate adherence to his roman catholic principals having effectively inoculated him against any involvement with the nazi régime.