Adenauer, << AH duh `now` uhr, >> Konrad (1876-1967), served as chancellor of the West German Republic from its formation in 1949 until he retired in 1963. Under his leadership, West Germany gained its sovereignty, made an extraordinary economic recovery, built its military power, and played a major role in Western European affairs. Adenauer’s accomplishments were all the more remarkable because he was 73 years old when he started his 14 years as chancellor.
Adenauer helped bring Germany into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Council of Europe, the European Coal and Steel Community, and the European Economic Community. He allied his country with the Western powers. He acknowledged Germany’s responsibility for the crimes committed against the Jews during World War II, and Germany paid war reparations to the Jewish state of Israel. Adenauer and French President Charles de Gaulle signed a Franco-German Treaty of Cooperation in 1963. This treaty was regarded as a symbol of reconciliation between France and Germany, which had traditionally been enemies.
As chancellor, Adenauer exercised strong rule. He treated his ministers as subordinates rather than as his colleagues. During his later years as chancellor, Adenauer’s actions were criticized both by his own Christian Democratic Union Party members and by his opponents.
Adenauer was born on Jan. 5, 1876, in Cologne, Germany. He studied at the universities of Freiburg, Munich, and Bonn, and became a lawyer. He served as mayor of Cologne from 1917 to 1933. During World War II, the Nazis imprisoned him several times.
The Allies made Adenauer mayor of Cologne when they occupied Germany after World War II. But the British dismissed him, and Adenauer entered national politics in 1947 as the leader of the Christian Democratic Party. He played an important role in drafting the West German constitution, which went into force in 1949. That year, he won his first election as chancellor. After Adenauer retired in 1963, his vice chancellor, Ludwig Erhard, was elected chancellor. Adenauer died on April 19, 1967.
