Konrad Adenauer - Biography, Adenauer's First Ministry, September 20, 1949 - October 20, 1953

German statesman, born in Cologne, W Germany. He studied at Freiburg, Munich, and Bonn, before practising law in Cologne, where he became lord mayor in 1917. A member of the Centre Party under the Weimar Republic, he became a member of the Provincial Diet and of the Prussian State Council (president 1920–33). In 1933, he was dismissed from all his offices by the Nazis, and imprisoned in 1934 and again in 1944. In 1945, under Allied occupation, he was again Mayor of Cologne, and founded the Christian Democratic Union. As chancellor from 1949 (re-elected 1953 and 1957), his policy was to rebuild West Germany on a basis of partnership with other European nations through NATO and the European Economic Community, with the ultimate aim of bargaining from strength for the reunification of Germany. He retired in 1963.

Konrad Adenauer
Chancellor of Germany
In office September 15, 1949 – October 16, 1963
Preceded by	Count Lutz Schwerin von Krosigk
Succeeded by	Ludwig Erhard
Born	January 5, 1876 Cologne
Died	April 19, 1967 Bad Honnef
Political party	Centre Party, CDU

Konrad Hermann Josef Adenauer (IPA: [kɔnrat hɛɐman jɔsɛf adɛnaʊɐ]) (January 5, 1876 – April 19, 1967) was a conservative German statesman.

Biography

Early life

Konrad Adenauer was born as the third of five children of Johann Konrad Adenauer (1833-1906) and his wife Helene (1849-1919) (née Scharfenberg) in Cologne.

Post WWII and the founding of the CDU

After his dismissal as mayor of Cologne, Adenauer devoted himself to building a new political party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), a successor to the Catholic Center Party which hoped to embrace Protestants as well as Catholics in a single party. In January 1946, Adenauer started a political meeting of the future CDU in the British zone as its doyen (the oldest man in attendance, Alterspräsident) and was informally accepted as its leader. Adenauer worked diligently at building up contacts and support in the CDU over the next few years, and he sought with varying success to impose his particular ideology on the party.

Adenauer's leading role in the CDU of the British zone won him a position at the Parliamentary Council of 1948, called into existence by the Western Allies to draft a constitution for the three western zones of Germany.

First Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany

At the German federal election, 1949 Adenauer became the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany after World War II. During this period, the post-war division of Germany was consolidated with the establishment of two separate German states, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

Adenauer's achievements include the establishment of a stable democracy in defeated West Germany, a lasting reconciliation with France, a general political reorientation towards the West, recovering limited, but far-reaching sovereignty for West Germany by firmly integrating it with the emerging Euro-Atlantic community (NATO and the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation). Adenauer is also associated with establishing an efficient pension system, which ensured an unparalleled prosperity for retired persons, and - along with his Minister for Economic Affairs and successor, Ludwig Erhard - with the West German model of a "social market economy" (a mixed economy with capitalism moderated by elements of social welfare and Catholic social teaching), which allowed for the boom period known as the Wirtschaftswunder ("economic miracle") and produced broad prosperity. Like all other major West German political parties of the time, the CDU refused to recognize the annexation of former German territories given by the Soviets to Poland, and openly talked about regaining these territories after strengthening West Germany's position in Europe.

When, in 1967, after his death at the age of 91, people were asked what they admired most about Adenauer, the majority responded that Adenauer brought home the last German prisoners of war from the USSR.

One of the participants, Eliezer Sudit, later indicated that the mastermind behind the attempt was Menachem Begin who would later become the Prime Minister of Israel.

David Ben-Gurion, Prime Minister of Israel, appreciated Adenauer’s response to downplay the affair and not to pursue it further as it would have burdened the relationship between the two new states. The cabinet members, belonging to the Free Democratic Party, left their positions in November 1962, and Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauß, himself the chairman of the Christian Social Union, was dismissed, followed by the remaining Christian Democratic Union cabinet members.

Adenauer's First Ministry, September 20, 1949 - October 20, 1953

Konrad Adenauer (CDU) - Chancellor Franz Blücher (FDP) - Vice Chancellor and Minister of Marshall Plan Affairs Gustav Heinemann (CDU) - Minister of the Interior Fritz Schäffer (CSU) - Minister of Finance Thomas Dehler (FDP) - Minister of Justice Ludwig Erhard (CDU) - Minister of Economics Anton Storch (CDU) - Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Wilhelm Niklas (CSU) - Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Forestry Hans-Christoph Seebohm (DP) - Minister of Transport Eberhard Wildermuth (FDP) - Minister of Construction Hans Schuberth (CSU) - Minister of Posts and Communications Hans Lukaschek (CDU) - Minister of Displaced Persons, Refugees, and War Victims Jakob Kaiser (CDU) - Minister of All-German Affairs Heinrich Hellwege (DP) - Minister of Bundesrat Affairs

Changes

October 13, 1950 - Robert Lehr (CDU) succeeds Heinemann as Minister of the Interior. March 15, 1951 - Konrad Adenauer becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as Chancellor when the Allies allow this post to be revived. July 19, 1952 - Fritz Neumayer (FDP) succeeds Wildermuth (d.9 March) as Minister of Construction.

Adenauer's Second Ministry, October 20, 1953 - October 29, 1957

Konrad Adenauer (CDU) - Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Franz Blücher (FDP) - Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economic Cooperation Gerhard Schröder (CDU) - Minister of the Interior Fritz Schäffer (CSU) - Minister of Finance Fritz Neumayr (FDP) - Minister of Justice Ludwig Erhard (CDU) - Minister of Economics Anton Storch (CDU) - Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Heinrich Lübke (CDU) - Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Forestry Hans-Christoph Seebohm (DP) - Minister of Transport Viktor-Emanuel Preusker (FDP) - Minister of Construction Franz-Josef Wuermeling (CDU) - Minister of Family Affairs Franz Josef Strauß (CSU) - Minister of Special Tasks Robert Tillmanns (CDU) - Minister of Special Tasks Waldemar Kraft (GB/BHE) - Minister of Special Tasks Hermann Schäfer (FDP) - Minister of Special Tasks Siegfried Balke - Minister of Posts and Communications Theodor Oberländer (GB/BHE) - Minister of Displaced Persons, Refugees, and War Victims Jakob Kaiser (CDU) - Minister of All-German Affairs Heinrich Hellwege (DP) - Minister of Bundesrat Affairs

Changes

June 7, 1955 - Theodor Blank (CDU) becomes Minister of Defense when that post is revived. June 8, 1955 - Heinrich von Brentano (CDU) succeeds Adenauer as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Hans-Joachim von Merkatz (DP) succeeds Hellwege as Minister of Bundesrat Affairs. October 19, 1955 - Franz Josef Strauß (CSU) becomes Minister of Atomic Affairs November 12, 1955 - Tillmanns leaves the cabinet. October 16, 1956 - Franz Josef Strauß (CSU) succeeds Blank as Minister of Defense. Hans-Joachim von Merkatz succeeds Neumayr as Minister of Justice. Siegfried Balke (CSU) succeeds Strauss as Minister of Atomic Affairs. November 15, 1956 - Ernst Lemmer (CDU) succeeds Balke as Minister of Posts and Communications.

Adenauer's Third Ministry, October 29, 1957 - November 14, 1961

Konrad Adenauer (CDU) - Chancellor Ludwig Erhard (CDU) - Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economics Heinrich von Brentano (CDU) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Franz Josef Strauß (CSU) - Minister of Defense Gerhard Schröder (CDU) - Minister of the Interior Franz Etzel (CDU) - Minister of Finance Fritz Schäffer (CSU) - Minister of Justice Theodor Blank (CDU) - Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Heinrich Lübke (CDU) - Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Forestry Hans-Christoph Seebohm (DP) - Minister of Transport Paul Lücke (CDU) - Minister of Construction Franz-Josef Wuermeling (CDU) - Minister of Family and Youth Affairs Richard Stücklen (CSU) - Minister of Posts and Communications Theodor Oberländer (CDU) - Minister of Displaced Persons, Refugees, and War Victims Ernst Lemmer (CDU) - Minister of All-German Affairs Hans-Joachim von Merkatz (DP) - Minister of Bundesrat and State Affairs Siegfried Balke (CSU) - Minister of Nuclear Energy and Water Hermann Lindrath (CDU) - Minister of Federal Economic Possessions

Changes

September 13, 1959 - Werner Schwarz (CDU) succeeds Lübke as Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Forestry. April 5, 1960 - Oberländer resigns as Minister of Displaced Persons, Refugees, and War Victims. May 4, 1960 - Hans Wilhelmi (CDU) succeeds Lindrath (d. 27 February) as Minister of Federal Economic Possessions. October 27, 1960 - Hans-Joachim von Merkatz (CDU) becomes Minister of Displaced Persons, Refugees, and War Victims.

Adenauer's Fourth Ministry, November 14, 1961 - October 16, 1963

Konrad Adenauer (CDU) - Chancellor Ludwig Erhard (CDU) - Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economics Gerhard Schröder (CDU) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Franz Josef Strauß (CSU) - Minister of Defense Hermann Höcherl (CSU) - Minister of the Interior Heinz Starke (FDP) - Minister of Finance Wolfgang Stammberger (FDP) - Minister of Justice Theodor Blank (CDU) - Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Werner Schwarz (CDU) - Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Forestry Hans-Christoph Seebohm (CDU) - Minister of Transport Paul Lücke (CDU) - Minister of Construction Franz-Josef Wuermeling (CDU) - Minister of Family and Youth Affairs Elisabeth Schwarzhaupt (CDU) - Minister of Health Walter Scheel (FDP) - Minister of Economic Cooperation Heinrich Krone (CDU) - Minister of Special Tasks Richard Stücklen (CSU) - Minister of Posts and Communications Wolfgang Mischnick (FDP) - Minister of Displaced Persons, Refugees, and War Victims Ernst Lemmer (CDU) - Minister of All-German Affairs Hans-Joachim von Merkatz (CDU) - Minister of Bundesrat and State Affairs Siegfried Balke (CSU) - Minister of Nuclear Energy and Water Hans Lenz (FDP) - Minister of Federal Treasure

Changes

November 19, 1962 Ewald Bucher (FDP) succeeds Stammberger as Minister of Justice. Werner Dollinger (CSU) succeeds Lenz as Minister of Federal Treasure. December 14, 1962 - Rolf Dahlgrün (FDP) succeeds Starke as Minister of Finance. Bruno Heck (CDU) succeeds Wuermeling as Minister of Family and Youth Affairs. Hans Lenz (FDP) enters the ministry as Minister of Scientific Research. Rainer Barzel (CDU) succeeds Lemmer as Minister of All-German Affairs. Alois Niederalt (CSU) succeeds Merkatz as Minister of Bundesrat and State Affairs. January 9, 1963 - Kai-Uwe von Hassel (CDU) succeeds Strauss as Minister of Defense.