Konrad Adenauer
| Konrad Adenauer | |
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Chancellor of Germany (West Germany) |
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In office 15 September 1949 – 16 October 1963 |
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| President | |
| Deputy | |
| Preceded by |
Lutz von Krosigk (Leading Minister; 1945) |
| Succeeded by | Ludwig Erhard |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
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In office 15 March 1951 – 6 June 1955 |
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| Preceded by | Lutz von Krosigk (1945) |
| Succeeded by | Heinrich von Brentano |
| Chair of the Christian Democratic Union | |
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In office 21 October 1950 – 23 March 1966 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ludwig Erhard |
| Mayor of Cologne | |
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In office 4 May 1945 – 6 October 1945 |
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| Preceded by | Willi Suth |
| Succeeded by | Willi Suth |
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In office 13 October 1917 – 13 March 1933 |
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| Preceded by | Max Wallraf |
| Succeeded by | Günter Riesen |
| President of the Prussian State Council | |
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In office October 1921 – 26 April 1933 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Robert Ley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer 5 January 1876 Cologne, Germany |
| Died | 19 April 1967 (aged 91) Bad Honnef, West Germany (now Germany) |
| Political party |
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| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 8 |
| Alma mater | |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer (German pronunciation: [ˈkɔnʁaːt ˈhɛɐ̯man ˈjoːzəf ˈaːdəˌnaʊ̯ɐ]; 5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967) was a German statesman who served as the first post-war Chancellor of Germany (West Germany) from 1949 to 1963. He led his country from the ruins of World War II to a productive and prosperous nation that forged close relations with France, the United Kingdom and the United States. During his years in power West Germany achieved democracy, stability, international respect and economic prosperity ("Wirtschaftswunder", German for "economic miracle"). He was the first leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), a Christian Democratic party that under his leadership became one of the most influential parties in the country.
Adenauer, the Chancellor till age 87 was dubbed "Der Alte" ("the old man"). British historian Roy Jenkins says he was "the oldest statesman ever to function in elected office." He belied his age by his intense work habits and his uncanny political instinct. He displayed a strong dedication to a broad vision of market-based liberal democracy and anti-communism. A shrewd politician, Adenauer was deeply committed to a Western-oriented foreign policy and restoring the position of West Germany on the world stage. He worked to restore the West German economy from the destruction of World War II to a central position in Europe, presiding over the German Economic Miracle. He reestablished the German military (Bundeswehr) in 1955. He came to terms with France, which made possible the economic unification of Western Europe. Adenauer opposed rival East Germany and made his nation a member of NATO and a firm ally of the United States.
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