Konrad Adenauer

Konrad Adenauer , born on January 5th, 1876 with Cologne and dead on April 19th, 1967 with Rhöndorf, was a German politician preserving. He was of 1949 to 1963 the first federal chancellor of the the Federal Republic of Germany.

Biography

Konrad Adenauer was born with Cologne on January 5th, 1876. After studies of right and economy, it chooses a career in the administration. He becomes member of the party of the Center ( Zentrum ) in 1906, and 1908 city council man town of Cologne from which he will be the mayor of 1917 to 1933. He is in addition member and president of the Council of State of Prussia of 1920 to 1933.

For its hostility posted with the Nazism, Goering dislocates it of all its functions in 1933 and he is imprisoned a few months starting from July 20th, 1944.

After the war, the American military administration again entrusts to him the post of mayor of Cologne, but the British congédient it a little later not considering it with the height. It is very active in the party CDU lately created and quickly becomes the chief about it: in 1946 he is elected president of CDU in the British zone, and of 1950 to 1966 for the FRG (German Federal republic). September 1st, 1948, the parliamentary Conseil (in charge of the drafting of a constitution) chooses it for president. With a voice in advance he is elected chancellor on September 15th, 1949, posts that he will occupy until 1963. By 3 times, in 1953,1957 and 1961 it gains the legislative elections with the CDU/CSU, always at a notable distance from SPD. In 1957 it obtains even the absolute majority.

It marked the policy of its time so much so that one speaks about a “Adenauer era” (in connection also with its longevity with the capacity). Its actions relate primarily to the renewal of German sovereignty and the re-establishment of the confidence of Alliés towards the former enemy, thus passing by the integration of FRG in the block of the West. This last point involves a sharp combat with the opposition. If this policy indeed worsens the ditch separating both Allemagnes, Adenauer regarded it as essential: only strong Germany against the the USSR could lead to a reunification. Germany (FRG) is member-founder of ECSC in 1952, then of the EEC in 1957 during the signature of the the Treaty of Rome. It enters to the the Council of Europe in 1951 and NATO in 1955. Since 1949, Adenauer feels Germany ready with a co-operation in the field of defense within a European framework. This co-operation starts at the time of the Guerre of Korea and the international discussions which it involves (CED in 1952, dissolved in 1954). He asks in exchange the sovereignty of Germany (Accords of Paris).

Adenauer is the object of an assassination attempt on March 27th, 1952, organized by the Irgoun.

Diplomatically, Adenauer recreates bonds with the new State of Israel and is reconciled with the France. The Treated of the Elysium, signed on January 22nd, 1963, announces a co-operation with France in all the fields. At the time of its visit with Moscow in 1955, Adenauer obtains the release of the 10.000 remaining German prisoners of war and accepts the diplomatic bonds suggested by the USSR. In 1958, it takes part with the mayor of West Berlin, Willy Brandt with the protests against “the Ultimatum of Khrouchtchev”. However, it can only undergo the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

In the middle of its fourth mandate, Adenauer resigns on October 15th, 1963 under a strong pressure of its own camp Its Minister for Finance, Ludwig Erhard (father of the social economy of market) is chosen by the Parliament to succeed to him. Konrad Adenauer dies on April 19th, 1967 with Rhöndorf.

Quotations

“the lapse of memory of its own faults is surest of the discharges. ”

“the history is the total of the things which could have been avoided. ”

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