Erich Ollenhauer
Encyclopedia
Erich Ollenhauer was the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD) 1952-1963.
and joined the SPD in 1920. When the Nazis took power in 1933 he fled Germany
for Prague
. After the outbreak of WW2
Ollenhauer travelled across Europe in order to avoid Nazi persecution, first going to Denmark
, then France
, Spain
, Portugal
, and eventually London
, where he remained until the end of the war. In London, he kept close ties to the Labour Party
, which financially supported the expatriate SPD (called SoPaDe
), of which Ollenhauer was a member. He also worked with the Union of German Socialist Organisations in Great Britain
.
In February 1946, Ollenhauer returned to Germany. In May the same year, he was voted deputy leader of the SPD, behind Kurt Schumacher
. Ollenhauer entered the Bundestag
after the 1949 German federal elections
.
and 1957 German elections
, both of which were lost to Konrad Adenauer
's CDU
.
In 1957, Ollenhauer called for a trans-European security alliance (in place of NATO and the Warsaw Pact
), in which a reunified Germany would serve as an equal partner. While the plan was denounced as radical at the time, it helped pave the way for Brandt
's Ostpolitik
, as well as indirectly influencing some developments within the European Union
, such as a European common security policy
) and the eventual reunification of Germany. Ollenhauer's proposal is also known as the Ollenhauer Plan.
In 1961, Ollenhauer declined to run for Chancellor a third time, instead supporting the candidacy of Berlin
mayor Willy Brandt
.
Ollenhauer died in Bonn
on December 14, 1963.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD) 1952-1963.
Early political career and exile
Ollenhauer was born in MagdeburgMagdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
and joined the SPD in 1920. When the Nazis took power in 1933 he fled Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. After the outbreak of WW2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Ollenhauer travelled across Europe in order to avoid Nazi persecution, first going to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, then France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and eventually London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he remained until the end of the war. In London, he kept close ties to the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, which financially supported the expatriate SPD (called SoPaDe
Sopade
Sopade was the name of the exile organization of the Social Democratic Party of Germany . It operated in Prague from 1933 to 1938, from 1938 to 1940 in Paris and until 1945 in London....
), of which Ollenhauer was a member. He also worked with the Union of German Socialist Organisations in Great Britain
Union of German Socialist Organisations in Great Britain
The Union of German Socialist Organisations in Great Britain was the amalgamation of German socialist and social democratic oriented organizations of exiled Germans during World War II....
.
In February 1946, Ollenhauer returned to Germany. In May the same year, he was voted deputy leader of the SPD, behind Kurt Schumacher
Kurt Schumacher
Dr. Kurt Schumacher , was chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany from 1946 and first Leader of the Opposition in the West German Bundestag parliament from 1949 until his death...
. Ollenhauer entered the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
after the 1949 German federal elections
German federal election, 1949
The 1st German federal election, 1949, was conducted on 14 August 1949, to elect members to the Bundestag of West Germany. This was the first free election conducted in Germany since Adolf Hitler had become Reich Chancellor in 1933....
.
Leadership of the SPD
After Schumacher's unexpected death in 1952, the SPD elected Ollenhauer as its leader. He ran as the SPD's candidate for Chancellor of Germany in the 1953-German federal election, 1953
The 2nd German federal election, 1953, was conducted on September 6, 1953, to elect members to the Bundestag of West Germany.-Issues and Campaign:...
and 1957 German elections
German federal election, 1957
The 3rd German federal election, 1957, was conducted on September 15, 1957, to elect members to the Bundestag of West Germany.-Issues and Campaign:...
, both of which were lost to Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,...
's CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
.
In 1957, Ollenhauer called for a trans-European security alliance (in place of NATO and the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
), in which a reunified Germany would serve as an equal partner. While the plan was denounced as radical at the time, it helped pave the way for Brandt
Brandt
- People :* Andy Brandt , Canadian politician* Arthur William Brandt , American engineer* Augusto Brandt , South American classical musician and composer* Bill Brandt , British photographer and photojournalist...
's Ostpolitik
Ostpolitik
Neue Ostpolitik , or Ostpolitik for short, refers to the normalization of relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Eastern Europe, particularly the German Democratic Republic beginning in 1969...
, as well as indirectly influencing some developments within the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, such as a European common security policy
European Security and Defence Policy
The Common Security and Defence Policy , formerly known as the European Security and Defence Policy , is a major element of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union and is the domain of EU policy covering defence and military aspects...
) and the eventual reunification of Germany. Ollenhauer's proposal is also known as the Ollenhauer Plan.
In 1961, Ollenhauer declined to run for Chancellor a third time, instead supporting the candidacy of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
mayor Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
.
Ollenhauer died in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
on December 14, 1963.