sep 15, 1949 - Adenauer
Description:
Konrad Adenauer was elected Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany on September 15th 1949. He was the first Chancellor in Germany since WW2. Adenauer was particularly keen to encourage closer ties with the USA and France. He opened diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and eastern European communist nations, but refused to recognise the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). As chancellor, Adenauer had a tendency to make most major decisions himself, treating his ministers as mere extensions of his authority. While this tendency decreased under his successors, it established the image of West Germany (and later reunified Germany) as a "chancellor democracy".
Added to timeline:
West Germany (FRG)
Cold War Period
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