Question: How successful was Adenauer as chacellor of FDr between 1949-1963?
It’s arguable that Adenauer achieved fundamental success as Chancellor of FRG during the years of 1949-1963, particularly within the context of economic and foreign policy. The immense economic growth Germany experienced and the partial reestablishment of the German military due to successful international cooperation with other nations cannot be ignored, and it’s necessary to assess the economic and political planning by Adenauer that enabled these achievements. The 50’s and the 60’s in Germany were a time of social stability, and there was no significant revival of Nazism due to the successful reintegration of many old Nazi sympathizers into society, ensuring stabilization of democracy. It’s also significant to consider Adenauer’s political success and immense popularity amongst the Germans themselves, inherently ensuring political stability. On the other hand, within a few policies Adenauer achieved only
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The Spiegel Affair erupted after a magazine published an article criticizing the German Army and the journalist who wrote this evoked a harsh response from the federal authorities, supported by Adenauer who received massive backlash. Whilst this is arguably true, it’s important to highlight Adenauer’s achievements as it’s also arguable they outweigh his failures as a chancellor.
In conclusion, Adenauer was a fundamentally successful chancellor. He was able to maintain economic, political and social stability in a post-war context and gain considerable trust from other nations. This was arguably the result of effective political planning. The economic boom and the popularity amongst Germans significantly contributed to his success as a chancellor, and although there were certain aspects in which he was less successful, the good by far outweighed the