The CDU 1949 to 1969
The Importance of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany
The Christian Democratic Union was the main political successor of the various Catholic and Protestant based political parties that had existed in Germany during the Imperial era and the Weimar Republic yet had not achieved significant electoral success due to been divided along denominational lines.
The Origins of the CDU
The decision to have two linked Christian Democratic parties rather than several competing Catholic and Protestant parties was a sound means of gaining as well as making the most of electoral support. It was hoped that streamlining the number of Christian Democratic parties would take support away from the extreme left wing and right wing political parties. The Western occupying powers of Germany were keen supporters of the Christian Democratic Union as they hoped it would strengthen democracy in West Germany whilst reducing support for communists, socialists, and extreme nationalist parties.
The Popularity of Konrad Adenauer
The partition of Germany in 1945 meant that the Christian Democratic Union was originally split into Eastern and Western sections, although the former ceased to exist after 1948 within the German Democratic Republic. In West Germany the leadership of Konrad Adenauer, the veteran former Mayor of Cologne proved to be a great electoral asset for the Christian Democratic Union from the first West German elections held in 1949.
Adenauer led the Christian Democratic Union / Christian Social Union alliance to the very narrowest of electoral victories in those elections to the surprise not to mention the detriment of the Social Democrats (SPD). The SPD had been used to being the most electorally popular political party in Germany prior to the emergence of the Third Reich.
In 1949 the media played a much more limited role in determining electoral success or failure. In the early 21st century it is difficult to imagine someone becoming German Chancellor at the age of 73 like Adenauer did in 1949.
The CDU and West Germany’s Economic Miracle
However it was the real economic, political, and social achievements of the Christian Democratic Union government that allowed the party to win three successive parliamentary elections. This was most notably the case in 1957 when the Christian Democratic Union having got over half the vote as well as half the Bundestag seats could have ruled alone without resorting to having coalition partners. Arguably that popularity was assisted by the rising living standards experienced by the bulk of the West German population at that point in time. In the run up to the Bundestag elections of 1957 the Adenauer administration had increased its electoral support by extending already generous state pension provision. As West Germany had a high proportion of pensioners amongst its electorate in the immediate post – war period increasing pension levels was a definite vote winner.
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