Erhard, Ludwig

Erhard, Ludwig
born Feb. 4, 1897, Fürth, Ger.
died May 5, 1977, Bonn, W.Ger.

German economist and politician.

As economics minister (1949–63), he was the chief architect of West Germany's postwar economic recovery. He achieved what has been called an economic miracle through his "social market system," which was based on free-market capitalism but included special provisions for housing, farming, and social programs. In 1957 he was appointed federal vice-chancellor, and in 1963 he succeeded Konrad Adenauer as chancellor. His government was troubled by an economic downturn and a budget deficit, as well as Erhard's relative weakness as a leader, and he was forced to resign in 1966.

* * *

▪ German statesman
born February 4, 1897, Fürth, Germany
died May 5, 1977, Bonn, West Germany
 economist and statesman who, as economics minister (1949–63), was the chief architect of West Germany's post-World War II economic recovery. He served as German chancellor from 1963–66.

      Following World War I, Erhard studied economics, eventually joining an economics research institute. Because he was untainted by Nazi associations, he was entrusted by the postwar Allied occupation authorities with the reconstruction of industry in the Nürnberg-Fürth area. Thereafter he served successively as economics adviser in Middle and Upper Franconia, economics minister for Bavaria (1945–46), director of the Advisory Committee for Money and Credit (1947–48), and director of the economic council for the joint Anglo-U.S. occupation zone (1948–49). By the end of 1948 the currency reforms that he had instituted the preceding summer, coupled with the abolition of rationing and of other commercial restrictions, had already somewhat buoyed the prostrate German economy.

      From September 1949, as economics minister of the new Federal Republic of Germany under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (Adenauer, Konrad), Erhard was commissioned to continue his policies of reconstruction. In the following years he applied his “social market system” to the problems of economic renewal with phenomenal results, achieving what has often been called the German “economic miracle.” Based on free-market capitalism, his system included special provisions for housing, farming, and social programs.

      Erhard was appointed federal vice-chancellor in 1957 and succeeded Adenauer as chancellor in October 1963. His government was troubled by his predecessor's persistent criticisms, an uncertain foreign policy, and a budget deficit. His decision to raise taxes in response to a slight recession in the summer of 1966 caused cabinet members to defect, and by the end of the year he was forced to resign. In 1967 he was named honorary chairman of the Christian Democratic Union.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Erhard, Ludwig —   Erhard wurde am 4. Februar 1897 in Fürth (Bayern) geboren, studierte nach kaufmännischer Lehre und Teilnahme am 1. Weltkrieg Volks und Betriebswirtschaft und war seit 1928 wissenschaftlich in Nürnberg tätig. 1945 wurde er Professor in München… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Erhard, Ludwig — ► (1897 1977) Economista y político democristiano alemán. Tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial fue ministro de Economía de Baviera. Su política fue decisiva para el triunfo de su partido en 1949, y fue nombrado Ministro de Economía de la República… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Erhard — Erhard, Ludwig …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Ludwig Wilhelm Erhard — Ludwig Erhard 1957 mit seinem Buch Wohlstand für Alle Ludwig Wilhelm Erhard (* 4. Februar 1897 in Fürth; † 5. Mai 1977 in Bonn) war ein deutscher Politiker ( …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ludwig Erhard — Canciller de Alemania …   Wikipedia Español

  • Ludwig Erhard — Erhard redirects here. For the saint of this name, see Saint Erhard. For the founder of est see Werner Erhard. Infobox Chancellor name = Ludwig Erhard imagesize = 200px birth date = 4 February 1897 birth place = Fürth, Germany death date = death… …   Wikipedia

  • Ludwig-Erhard-Haus — von Norden gesehen Ludwig Erhard Haus Das Ludwig Erhard Haus befindet sich im Berliner Ortsteil …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • ERHARD (L.) — ERHARD LUDWIG (1897 1977) Né à Fürth, en Bavière, Ludwig Erhard fait des études commerciales; il est incorporé en 1916 et grièvement blessé dans les Flandres à l’automne de 1918. Il entre ensuite à l’École supérieure de sciences sociales et… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Erhard — Erhard,   Ludwig, Politiker, * Fürth 4. 2. 1897, ✝ Bonn 5. 5. 1977; 1929 44 am Institut für Wirtschaftsbeobachtung an der Handelshochschule Nürnberg tätig, dem Nationalsozialismus gegenüber ablehnend eingestellt, befasste sich gegen Kriegsende… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Ludwig — Ludwig, Emil Ludwig, Karl Friedrich Ludwig, Otto * * * (as used in expressions) Beck, Ludwig Beethoven, Ludwig van Boltzmann, Ludwig (Eduard) Erhard, Ludwig Feuerbach, Ludwig (Andreas) Fraenkel Conrat, Heinz L(udwig) Frege, (Friedrich Ludwig)… …   Enciclopedia Universal

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”