Adenauer shaking hands with French President Charles de Gaulle in 1961.
After the war, Adenauer was reinstated as Mayor of Cologne
by the Americans but removed shortly afterwards by the
British, when Cologne was transferred into the British zone of
occupation. This gave Adenauer the time to devote himself
to the setting up of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
which he hoped would unify Protestant and Catholic Germans
in one party. In 1949, he became the first Chancellor of the
Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). Initially, it was
thought that Adenauer would be Chancellor for only a short time,
as he was already 73 years old by this time. However, despite
this belief, Adenauer (nicknamed ‘Der Alte’, or ‘The Elder’) went
on to hold this position for the next 14 years, making him not
only the youngest ever mayor of Cologne, but also the oldest
chancellor Germany has ever seen. Under his leadership, West
Germany became a stable democracy and achieved a lasting
reconciliation with its neighbouring countries. He managed to
regain some sovereignty for West Germany, by integrating the
country with the emerging Euro-Atlantic community (NATO and
the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation).
Contribution to European integration
Adenauer’s experiences during the Second World War made him
a political realist. His views on Germany’s role in Europe were
strongly influenced by the two world wars and the century-long
animosity between Germany and France. He therefore focused
his attention on promoting the idea of pan-European cooperation.
Adenauer was a great proponent of the European Coal and
Steel Community, which was launched with the Schuman
Declaration on 9 May 1950, and also the later treaty for the
European Economic Community in March 1957.
Adenauer’s opinions on Europe were based on the idea that
European unity was essential for lasting peace and stability.
For this reason he worked tirelessly for the reconciliation
of Germany with its former enemies, especially France.
Later, in 1963, The Élysée Treaty, also known as the Treaty of
Friendship, set the seal on this reconciliation. With it, Germany
and France established a firm foundation for relations that ended
centuries of rivalry between them.
As a result of his political talents, his determination, pragmatism
and clear vision for the role of Germany in a united Europe,
Adenauer ensured that Germany became, and remains to this
day, a free and democratic society. This is now not only taken for
granted, but also deeply integrated into modern German society.
Konrad Adenauer is one of the most remarkable figures in
European history. European unity was to him not only about
peace, but also a way of reintegrating post-Nazi Germany into
international life. Europe as we know it today would not have
been possible without the confidence he inspired in other European
states by means of his consistent foreign policy. His achievements
are still recognised by his fellow-Germans as, in 2003, they voted
him ‘The greatest German of all time’.