DESPITE a period of intense domestic debate and turmoil in the U.S., TIME turns for its Man of the Year for 1970 to a foreign statesman who already stands as a great innovator of his time. By becoming the first West German politician willing to accept the full consequences of defeat in World War II, West German Chancellor Willy Brandt moved to shape events rather than react to them, and presented a challenge to Communist Europe that has great potential significance for the rest of the world.

That challenge is examined in the cover story by David Tinnin, who has been deeply concerned with Germany ever since he spent four years studying at Heidelberg from 1949 to 1953. Tinnin has been responsible for most of the World section's stories on Germany for the past five years, and last March completed his third visit, during which he met Brandt and other leaders. In a story at that time, he predicted that a treaty with Warsaw would be signed, giving over the Oder-Neisse lands, and that Brandt would move toward easing tensions between the two Germanys. "It seemed obvious that Germany was changing," says Tinnin, "and it was very important that the changes should be fully understood by the U.S."

The bulk of the reportage for the cover naturally came from Bonn Bureau Chief Benjamin Cate, whose assignment to the West German capital elates from Sept. 27, 1969. one day before the elections that brought Brandt to power. "It was another coincidence," says Gate, "that the house my wife and I finally rented turned out to be only 100 meters from Brandt's house on the Venusberg above Bonn."

Brandt makes himself remarkably accessible to the press, with frequent conferences and briefings, notes Cate, who in the past year has been granted three private interviews. For this week's story, Cate accompanied Brandt to Poland to witness the signing of the Treaty of Warsaw between West Germany and its ancient enemy. Then, over Campari and soda in Brandt's home, Cate and the Chancellor had the lengthy talks that helped the editors to assess Brandt and his initiative toward the East.

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