On July 15th 1949 democracy returned to Western Germany, when the first elections for the Bundestag were held. Christian Democrats (25.2%) and Christian Socialists (5.8%) merged into one parliamentary group and won the elections against the Social Democrats (29.2%). Now they were in charge to form the Federal Republic’s first government.
The central questions in the formation of the government were would the Christian Democrats govern with or without the Social Democrats. Who would be the first Federal Chancellor and who the first Federal President? The most important issue in the election campaign were economics. The devastated country needed to be rebuilt after the war, the unemployment was threatening and the country would need the help from abroad. Both major parties, Christian Democrats and Social Democrats represented contrary economic ideas. The choice between CDU and SPD was also a choice of Social Market Economy versus Planned economy. After the elections the SPD claimed the Department of Economics, if they would participate in the government.
Although it was no official body of the party, a rather informal meeting on August 21st 1949 at the home of the party leader in the British Sector and head of the Verfassungsrat (committee to form the German constitution of the Federal Republic) Konrad Adenauer, seemed to be the focussing event in the memories of most main figures in the party. This meeting, seven days after the election, later known as the Rhöndorfer Konferenz (Conference of Rhöndorf), should become one of the first national myths of the young Republic. The following historiography analyzes the way the story of the conference had been told in the past and how these descriptions influenced our picture of the first Federal government to the present.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The published memoirs (1955-1972)
The re-interpretation of the Rhöndorfer Konferenz (1978-2002)
Conclusion
Objectives & Topics
This paper examines how the narrative of the Rhöndorfer Konferenz has evolved from a subjective, myth-making account into a more nuanced historical understanding, highlighting how post-war memoirs and later source discoveries have shaped the perception of Konrad Adenauer's consolidation of power.
- Evolution of historical memory regarding the Rhöndorfer Konferenz.
- The influence of personal memoirs on the portrayal of Adenauer as a charismatic, lonesome leader.
- Critical re-assessment of negotiation dynamics based on newly discovered protocols and sources.
- The role of the Frankfurt coalition negotiations in contextualizing the conference.
- The contrast between subjective participant testimonials and objective historical documentation.
Excerpt from the Book
The published memoirs (1955-1972)
Based on the testimonies of Robert Pferdemenges, a banker from Cologne and friend of Adenauer, Paul Weymar published 1955 his first version of the formation of the government. Therefore “Adenauer invited the leading men of the CDU/CSU to a confidential discussion” to determine how to form the government. Pferdmenges described that Adenauer had to fight against a strong opposition within the meeting. His opponents favoured a great coalition with the Social Democrats, even for the price to relinquish the ministry of economics to them.
The leading antagonist of Adenauer occurred to be Altmeier, minister president of the Rhine-Palatinate. According to Pferdmenges none of the opponents could win the majority of the audience until Adenauer presented his “carefully surprise move”. He introduced his idea of a coalition of CDU/CSU, FDP (Free Democrats) and DP (German Party). After a short moment of slight unrest, “someone” proposed Adenauer to become the Federal Chancellor, and since nobody challenged him “in less than one minute, this question was settled”. The opposition against a small coalition had been outmanoeuvred. The next question was the election of the first Federal president. Adenauer recommended Professor Heuss, from the FDP, disregarding the fact that he had not been informed so far. Further Pferdmenges reports that Adenauer wiped any doubts on his nomination with a sense of humor.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Summarizes the electoral context of 1949 and introduces the Rhöndorfer Konferenz as a foundational myth of the Federal Republic.
The published memoirs (1955-1972): Analyzes early subjective accounts, primarily by Robert Pferdemenges, that established the image of Adenauer's dominant role.
The re-interpretation of the Rhöndorfer Konferenz (1978-2002): Discusses how scientific research, particularly by Rudolf Morsey, utilized new sources like protocols to challenge the established myth.
Conclusion: Synthesizes how subjective testimonials shaped public memory and calls for a more inclusive, source-critical historical approach.
Keywords
Rhöndorfer Konferenz, Konrad Adenauer, Historiography, Federal Republic of Germany, Coalition Negotiations, Political Myths, Robert Pferdemenges, Rudolf Morsey, Social Market Economy, 1949 Elections, Parliamentary History, Historical Documentation, Political Memoirs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this work?
The paper explores how the historical narrative of the 1949 Rhöndorfer Konferenz was constructed and later critically re-evaluated by historians.
What are the central themes of the research?
The central themes include the formation of the first West German government, the myth-building process in post-war historiography, and the role of source criticism.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The aim is to demonstrate how subjective participant memories influenced historical perception and to show how more objective documentation has provided a clearer, more complex picture of the events.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses historiographical analysis, comparing early memoirs with later discovered documents, protocols, and independent studies to identify narrative discrepancies.
What is discussed in the main body of the text?
The text analyzes the progression from early anecdotal accounts by figures like Pferdemenges to later academic investigations by scholars like Rudolf Morsey and Klaus Dreher.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include historiography, Rhöndorfer Konferenz, political myths, Adenauer, and source-based historical research.
Why was the meeting in Rhöndorf considered a myth?
It was presented for years as a lonesome, genius struggle by Adenauer, while newer evidence shows the negotiations were more complex and involved other significant discussions in Frankfurt.
How did the discovery of the Frankfurt coalition negotiations change the view of the Rhöndorfer Konferenz?
It revealed that the conference was not the sole step in forming the government, as crucial agreements were made in Frankfurt prior to the meeting in Rhöndorf.
- Quote paper
- M. A. Aaron Faßbender (Author), 2005, The “Rhöndorfer Konferenz” between dramatization and historic valuation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/182587
