German Election, 1957

Report Outline
World Interest in West German Balloting
Election Rules, Parties, and Platforms
International Issues in German Election
Special Focus

World Interest in West German Balloting

Importance of Coming Vote to East and West

As the voters of West Germany get ready to go to the polls on Sept. 15 to elect a new federal legislature, leaders of the world's two great power blocs await the outcome with keenest interest. The strategic position, industrial strength, and developing military strength of the Federal Republic make it potentially the most powerful nation on the continent of Europe west of the Iron Curtain. As such, the make-up of its government is a matter of greatest importance to both the free world and the Communist world. The United States has gone out of its way, in a discreet manner, to do what it can to assure the continuance in power of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and his Christian Democrats, who have proved staunch allies of the West. The Soviet Union has made clear its hope that the Adenauer government will be replaced by a regime more amenable to overtures from the East.

The opposition Social Democratic (Socialist) Party, headed by Erich Ollenhauer, has long insisted that Moscow must be approached with more understanding if divided Germany ever is to be reunited. The party's spokesmen in the current campaign have been accusing the Adenauer government of not trying hard enough to bring about reunification. If the Socialists should win the election, they could be expected to attempt to effect some change in Germany's position in the Western alliance—just how great a change is not clear. Consequently, a Socialist victory or near victory would in all probability make it necessary to re-evaluate Germany's role as the forward bastion of NATO.

U.S. Efforts to Promote an Adenauer Victory

To help the Christian Democrats, Washington has made Adenauer and other high German officials welcome in this country; both independently and in conjunction with its allies, it has assured Bonn of unflagging support for reunification; and it has made known its intention to seek the consent of Congress to return German assets seized during World War II. When Foreign Minister Heinrich von Brentano came to Washington early last March, he and Secretary of State Dulles together declared reunification of Germany to be a “fundamental objective of the policies of their governments.”