Question 28
The first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany was...
German original: Der erste Bundeskanzler der Bundesrepublik Deutschland war …. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- Ludwig Erhard.
- Willy Brandt.
- Konrad Adenauer. — Correct answer
- Gerhard Schröder.
Explanation
Konrad Adenauer (CDU) was the first Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, serving from 1949 to 1963. Before becoming chancellor, he had been the mayor of Cologne. During his time in office, he shaped Germany's integration into the Western alliance, promoted reconciliation with France, and supported German rearmament.
Key terms in this question
- Germany — Germany is a country in central Europe with a parliamentary democracy. It is a member of the European Union and its capital is Berlin.
- Federal Republic — The Federal Republic of Germany is the official name of the German state. It consists of 16 federal states and is a democratic republic.
- Federal state — A federal state is one of the 16 regions that together form Germany. Each state has its own government, parliament, and areas of responsibility.
- Federal Chancellor — The Federal Chancellor is the head of government of the Federal Republic of Germany. They lead the federal government and set the main direction of government policy.
- first — 'First' describes the person or thing that comes before all others in a sequence or order, at position number one.
- the Federal Government / the Federation — The Federation refers to the central level of government in Germany, as opposed to the individual federal states (Länder). It is responsible for matters that affect the whole country, such as foreign policy or national defense.
- Republic — A republic is a form of government in which political power belongs to the people, who elect representatives to govern the country. There is no monarch; the head of state is usually an elected president or similar figure.
- Chancellor — The Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) is the head of government in Germany. They lead the federal government and set the main political guidelines.