Adenauer was very technically skilled. He had already made various inventions in the 1910s. He came up with an emergency bread recipe to improve the food supply during World War I. He invented, for example, an illuminated darning egg and a spout for a watering can.
Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) was the first chancellor of West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany), an office he held for 14 years – an era in which the country recovered from the Nazi dictatorship, built up Europe's strongest economy, dealt with the Berlin Wall and the Cold War, and gained a leading role in Europe …
the old one Adenauer, who resigned as Chancellor at the age of 87 and remained head of the governing CDU until his retirement at 90, was often dubbed "Der Alte" ("the old one").
In 1945 he helped establish the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and in 1949 became the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). He held power for the next fourteen years and during that time played an important role in restoring good relations with France and the United States.
Facts
| Born | January 5, 1876 • Cologne |
|---|---|
| Died | April 19, 1967 (aged 91) • Germany |
| Title / Office | Bundestag (1949-1966), West Germany • chancellor (1949-1963), West Germany |
| Political Affiliation | Christian Democratic Union |
| Role In | Spiegel affair |
Adenauer was elected chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany on 15 September 1949. His main aim was to ensure West Germany's transition to a sovereign, democratic state. Military occupation of West Germany ended in 1952 and in 1955 West Germany was recognised internationally as an independent nation.
Adenauer's foreign policy was largely successful, and he managed to rebuild Germany's reputation in Europe as a result. During his time at the top, he presided over a number of different coalition governments, and had significant power over government ministers.