Ludwig Wilhelm Erhard was a German politician and economist affiliated with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and chancellor of West Germany from 1963 until 1966. He is known for leading the West German postwar economic reforms and economic recovery in his role as Minister of Economic Affairs under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer from 1949 to 1963. During that period he promoted the concept of the social market economy, on which Germany's economic policy in the 21st century continues to be based. In his tenure as Chancellor, however, Erhard lacked support from Adenauer, who remained chairman of the party until 1966, and failed to win the public's confidence in his handling of a budget deficit and his direction of foreign policy. His popularity waned, and he resigned his chancellorship on 30 November 1966.
Erhard in 1964
Konrad Adenauer and Ludwig Erhard in 1956
Ludwig Erhard in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 1964
Charles de Gaulle and Ludwig Erhard (1965)
Christian Democratic Union of Germany
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is the major catch-all party of the centre-right in German politics.
1949 election poster of the CDU reading "We cannot do magic — but we can work/do our job. Help us. Vote for CDU. It's about Germany!"
1949 election poster of the CDU reading "The Rescue: CDU"
The election poster of 1957 reading "No experiments" and featuring then Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (This was the only federal election in which the CDU obtained an absolute majority in the Bundestag.)
East German CDU leader Lothar de Maizière (left) with West German CDU leader Helmut Kohl in September 1990