Konrad Adenauer: The Father of the New Germany

Rating:
Summary: A Great Biography On One Of Europe's Finest Statesmen
Review: "Adenauer: The Father Of The New Germany" is a fascinating, often spellbinding, account of the life of West Germany's greatest chancellor, Konrad Adenauer. Adenauer's iron-willed personality is successfully recounted by Williams' excellent prose. To his credit, Charles Williams offers us a balanced account of Adenauer's life, yet nonetheless shows how Adenauer almost singlehandedly restored Germany's honor within the world community in the aftermath of World War II and the savagery of the Nazi regime. Williams provides us with a complex portrayal of a man governed by his deep-seated Catholic convictions, who eventually championed the vision of a tranquil, united Europe. He does a splendid job covering Adenauer's career as Cologne's mayor, his internal "exile" during the Nazi regime, and finally, his duties as the Federal Republic of Germany's first chancellor. This splendid book is one of the finest biographies of a distinguished statesman I've had the pleasure of reading; it certainly rivals David McCullough's "John Adams" for its wealth of information and spellbinding portrayal of its subject.

Rating:
Summary: Spiritual Grand Architect of German Phoenix
Review: Charles Williams narrates with panache the life of stern and energetic Konrad Adenauer who came to the attention of the world well in the twilight of his life. Adenauer, staunch defender of the Catholic faith and strong German patriot, was born in a very modest family a few years after the proclamation of the Second Reich. After serving in the pre-war imperial bureaucracy, Adenauer gradually became the deserving, leading political figure in his native city of Cologne by the end of WWI. Adenauer assumed with cunning ability and efficiency the mayoralty of Cologne under the Weimar Republic before the Nazis obliged him to resign from his elected position in his late fifties. At that time, Adenauer himself thought that he was "kaput": he was a political liability in the eyes of the Nazis and close to financial bankruptcy. To his credit, Adenauer kept a low profile in Nazi Germany, put order in his finances with the help of (Jewish) friends and emerged with his political credentials relatively intact from the ruins of the Third Reich at the end of WWII. After neutralizing his political adversaries with ruthless efficiency and obstinacy, Adenauer was successively elected leader of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and then first post-war Chancellor of former West Germany with the approval of the occupying allies. To the victors and German internal opposition, Adenauer quickly revealed himself as a tough negotiator who was very good at dividing his adversaries by exploiting their weaknesses, in order to progressively restore the sovereignty and dignity of his beloved fatherland under the leadership of the CDU. Furthermore, Adenauer progressively overcame his parochialism by taking a leading role in the reconstruction of a unified, prosperous Western Europe at peace with itself on an equal footing with such personalities as Robert Schuman, Jean Monnet, Alcide de Gasperi and Paul-Henri Spaak. Although Adenauer died in 1967, his political legacy must remain a source of inspiration to his successors. Germany, aware of its not always glorious past and its long time pro-European stance, is called to take over the leadership in the further construction of a democratic, prosperous, and strong Europe to the chagrin of especially one nation. The center of gravity of the European Union will be moving eastwards in the coming years after the integration of Middle-European and Eastern European Nations. Future German chancellors will play a key role in the undertaking of eventually turning the dream of a United States of Europe into a reality in partnership with the United States of America. Only a Europe speaking with one voice in economic, military, political and social matters will be systematically taken seriously by the other great powers of this world.

Rating:
Summary: A True European Giant
Review: Konrad Adenauer was the man that Germany, Europe, and the West so desperately needed in the middle of the 20th Century. His actions and policies as Bundeskanzler from 1949-63 were largely responsible for restoring a place of honor for Germany in the eyes of the world after the barbarity of the Third Reich. In doing so he embodied all that is good and honorable about German and European culture, as well as Western Civilization.

This is an even-handed book which treats the subject matter with great respect. It gives the reader insight into Adenauer's personal and private life, as well as his religious and social outlook. It also paints a captivating picture of the legal and political environment of Cologne in its heyday. All you have to do is read the excerpt available on Amazon.com and you will want to read the entire book.

One item which left me with incredible personal respect for Adenauer was the story about the automobile accident that he experienced as Mayor of Cologne during the First War. He was thrown from the car, yet he WALKED one mile to the hospital despite bleeding heavily. Upon his arrival, he was immediately taken into surgery, where - WITHOUT anesthesia - his face was heavily stitched up, yet he never gave even the slightest outward expression of discomfort. It was only after the surgery was completed that the Mayor finally passed out from the pain. We soft, comfortable men of the 21st Century should read that chapter and hang our heads in shame.

When you think of the key Western European leaders of the 1950s (such as Salazar, Franco, de Gaulle, MacMillan, Adenauer, de Gasperi, and Pius XII) it makes you realize how far Europe has fallen in our day. I hope we will be fortunate enough to experience such leaders as Konrad Adenauer in our time.

Rating:
Summary: A True European Giant
Review: Konrad Adenauer was the man that Germany, Europe, and the West so desperately needed in the middle of the 20th Century. His actions and policies as Bundeskanzler from 1949-63 were largely responsible for restoring a place of honor for Germany in the eyes of the world after the barbarity of the Third Reich. In doing so he embodied all that is good and honorable about German and European culture, as well as Western Civilization.

This is an even-handed book which treats the subject matter with great respect. It gives the reader insight into Adenauer's personal and private life, as well as his religious and social outlook. It also paints a captivating picture of the legal and political environment of Cologne in its heyday. All you have to do is read the excerpt available on Amazon.com and you will want to read the entire book.

One item which left me with incredible personal respect for Adenauer was the story about the automobile accident that he experienced as Mayor of Cologne during the First War. He was thrown from the car, yet he WALKED one mile to the hospital despite bleeding heavily. Upon his arrival, he was immediately taken into surgery, where - WITHOUT anesthesia - his face was heavily stitched up, yet he never gave even the slightest outward expression of discomfort. It was only after the surgery was completed that the Mayor finally passed out from the pain. We soft, comfortable men of the 21st Century should read that chapter and hang our heads in shame.

When you think of the key Western European leaders of the 1950s (such as Salazar, Franco, de Gaulle, MacMillan, Adenauer, de Gasperi, and Pius XII) it makes you realize how far Europe has fallen in our day. I hope we will be fortunate enough to experience such leaders as Konrad Adenauer in our time.

Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful biography on one of Germany's great leaders
Review: This book is the biography of the great Konrad Adenauer, the long serving German Kanzeller charged with rebuilding a shattered Germany following WW2. His childhood, education, and involvement in the Köln government are all described in detail. He is shown in an honest light and at times comes across as egotistical, greedy, and unfaithful. But he was also very determined, highly competent, and utterly committed to seeing Germany reunited under a peaceful, democratic government.

Overall, the book is a worthwhile read but tended to be a bit dry and sometimes got bogged down in detail. The complex issues facing him after the war and how he dealt with them are really the most important parts of this book and I would have liked to have seen this covered in a bit more detail. For those looking for an informative and comprehensive history of Herr Adenauer, this should do.

Rating:
Summary: A heavy reliance on secondary sources.
Review: When I bought this book I had high expections. The cover photograph is awesome! The book however, turned out to be a disapointment. In terms of research, it's similar to an undergraduate paper. Williams uses very few primary sources, relying instead on the work of others. It's kind of a cut and past job. An examination of the citations will confirm this.
I was especially looking forward to a discussion of what many consider Adenauer's finest hour. His decision, despite intense opposition, to push for reparations for Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Williams barely mentions the reparations and dosn't even attempt to examine Adenaurer's motivations.
In terms of of giving an overview of Adenauer's life the book's ok. But this giant of the 20th Century deserves better.