History UsefulNotes / TheChancellorsOfGermany

* Konrad Adenauer (1949-1963) -- Christian Democrat (i.e. Conservative). Nicknamed "Der Alte" ("The old one" - he was 73 years old in 1949) and "the Fox of Rhöndorf". [[DecidedByOneVote Won by just one vote]] - it is claimed, his own, but later became the only Federal Chancellor to govern without a coalition partner (from 1960 to 1961). Former ''Oberbürgermeister'' (mayor) of Cologne (since 1917) and a prominent politician of the Centre party, he had already been considered for the chancellor's office during the Weimar Republic. [[DisproportionateRetribution The Nazis destroyed his political career - and later even threw him in a concentration camp - for refusing to shake the hand of an influential Nazi leader]]. Adenauer oriented Germany towards the West (''Westbindung''), reconciled with France and, together with Ludwig Erhard, made the economic boom (''Wirtschaftswunder'') possible. Together with De Gaulle, he laid the foundation for the EU. He made UsefulNotes/{{Bonn}}, a dinky town on the Rhine within commuting distance from Rhöndorf (the village where he lived), the capital, and [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome secured the return of the last Germany [=POWs=] from the Soviet Union in 1955]]. He played boccia at his vacation home on Lake Como and had seven kids and even more grandkids. (Helmut Kohl isn't among them, although he called himself "Adenauer's grandson".) Feared for his sharp tongue, he did not endear himself to the Austrians when he said about their demands for reparations that he would like to send Hitler's bones in lieu of payment. Had some memorable missteps such as publicly making snide comments about Willy Brandt's illegitimate parentage on the day the Wall was built (when Brandt was mayor of West Berlin) or the melodramatic Bundestag statement "We have an abyss of treason!" at the beginning of the ''Spiegel'' affair that resulted in the resignation of his minister of defence, Franz Josef Strauß. In 2003, he was voted greatest German of all time.
* Ludwig Erhard (1963-1966) -- Christian Democrat. Nicknamed "Der Dicke" ("The fat one"). The cigar smoking father of the social market economy (''soziale Marktwirtschaft'') and the economic boom in Germany. He, however, did this as Minister of Economy under Adenauer. As chancellor, Erhard improved relations with the USA and opened official diplomatic relations with Israel. The introduction of the Deutschmark is often misattributed to him, yet was ordered by the Americans. He only implemented it, though his timing was faster than expected and he had to talk himself out of trouble with General Clay (the head of the occupation forces in the Tri-Zone)

* Konrad Adenauer (1949-1963) -- Christian Democrat (i.e. Conservative). Nicknamed "Der Alte" ("The old one" - he was 73 years old in 1949) and "the Fox of Rhöndorf". [[DecidedByOneVote Won by just one vote]] - it is claimed, his own. Former ''Oberbürgermeister'' (mayor) of Cologne, [[DisproportionateRetribution but the Nazis destroyed his political career - and later even threw him in a concentration camp - for refusing to shake the hand of an influential Nazi leader]]. Adenauer oriented Germany towards the West (''Westbindung''), reconciled with France and, together with Ludwig Erhard, made the economic boom (''Wirtschaftswunder'') possible. Together with De Gaulle, he laid the foundation for the EU. He made UsefulNotes/{{Bonn}}, a dinky town on the Rhine within easy reach of Rhöndorf (the village where he lived), the capital, and [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome secured the return of the last Germany [=POWs=] from the Soviet Union in 1955]]. He also had seven kids and even more grandkids. (Helmut Kohl isn't among them, although he called himself "Adenauer's grandson".) Feared for his sharp tongue, he did not endear himself to the Austrians when he said about their demands for reparations that he would like to send Hitler's bones in lieu of payment. Had some memorable missteps such as publicly making snide comments about Willy Brandt's illegitimate parentage on the day the Wall was built (when Brandt was mayor of West Berlin) or the melodramatic Bundestag statement "We have an abyss of treason!" at the beginning of the ''Spiegel'' affair that resulted in the resignation of his minister of defence, Franz Josef Strauß. In 2003, he was voted greatest German of all time.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998, still alive as of November 14, 2014) -- Christian Democrat. Became chancellor through a motion of no confidence against Helmut Schmidt. He worked towards a Europe without borders (Schengen Treaty) and laid the foundation for the Euro. Was a favorite target for political cabaretists and caricaturists, just like MargaretThatcher in Britain, although less for controversial policy (although there was some of that) and more for his personality -- he had something of an aggressively anti-elitist and provincial style, with the prime emblem of that being his insistence that visiting heads of state be treated to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saumagen Saumagen]] (a rustic dish that amounts to [[HaggisIsHorrible haggis]], but made from pork and from his native Palatinate) when visiting Germany. Polls showed that he would lose the next election, but then [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Wall came down]]. He wasted no time, promised ''Reunification as fast as possible'' and garnered the support of the allies of [[WW2 WWII]] for it. This earned him two reelections in the reunified Germany.

* Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005, still alive as of November 14, 2014) -- Social Democrat. Originally very pro-American (he supported the Afghanistan war), he later actively opposed the Iraq war and improved Germany's relations with France and Russia instead (most notably the controversial Baltic pipeline). Schröder did several social reforms that alienated many social democrats--his vaguely neoliberal orientation combined with his cigar-chomping ways to earned him the nickname "Genosse der Bosse" ("Comrade of the Bosses"), and these policies combined with his personal charisma have led many to call him the German TonyBlair. He proved to be quite the electoral MagnificentBastard in 2005: when he felt that he had lost his support in the Bundestag, he filed a motion of no confidence against himself to trigger re-elections. He then turned on the charm and campaigned like hell, managing to get the SPD's share of the vote much higher than expected and forcing a grand coalition in the next Bundestag. He could have even stayed on as Chancellor if he hadn't promised not to enter in an alliance with the Left Party.

* Willy Brandt (1969-1974) -- Social Democrat. Born as Herbert Frahm in Lübeck, forced to flee the country (to Norway) when the Nazis came to power, for which he [[SignificantRename took Willy Brandt as his new name]]. His resistance to Nazism, emigration plus the fact that he was born to unmarried parents were still seen as "scandalous enough" in the early 1960s to be used as ammunition against him during his first national election campaigns. Gained international stature as Governing Mayor of (West) Berlin (1957-1966) around the time the Wall was built and then became Kiesinger's Vice-Chancellor. After the 1969 elections he headed the first West German government not to include the Christian Democrats. Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971 for improving Germany's relations with Eastern Europe and EastGermany (''Neue Ostpolitik''). [[DramaticSitDown Most remembered for his genuflection]] (''Kniefall'') at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial in Poland. He had to resign after one of his closest advisors, Günter Guillaume, was revealed to be an East German spy. He commissioned the Brandt Report on the North-South divide and once again came to prominence as an elder statesmen when the Wall fell. In 2003, he was voted 5th greatest German of all time.

* Konrad Adenauer (1949-1963) -- Christian Democrat (i.e. Conservative). Nicknamed "Der Alte" ("The old one"), as he was already 73 years old upon election. [[DecidedByOneVote Won by just one vote]] - it is claimed, his own one. Former grand mayor of Cologne, [[DisproportionateRetribution but the Nazis destroyed his political career - and later even threw him in a concentration camp - for refusing to shake the hand of an influential Nazi leader]]. Adenauer oriented Germany towards the West (''Westbindung''), reconciled with France and, together with Ludwig Erhard, made the economic boom (''Wirtschaftswunder'') possible. Together with De Gaulle, he laid the foundation for the EU. He made UsefulNotes/{{Bonn}}, a dinky small town at the Rhine, the capital, and [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome secured the return of the last Germany [=POWs=] from the Soviet Union in 1955]]. He also had seven kids and even more grandkids. (Helmut Kohl isn't among them, although he called himself "Adenauer's grandson".) In 2003, he was voted greatest German of all time.

* Willy Brandt (1969-1974) -- Social Democrat. Born as Herbert Frahm in Lübeck, forced to flee the country (to Norway) when the Nazis came to power, for which he took Willy Brandt as his new name. His resistance to Nazism, emigration plus the fact that he was born to unmarried parents were still seen as "scandalous enough" in the early 1960s to be used as ammunition against him during his first national election campaigns. Gained international stature as Governing Mayor of (West) Berlin around the time the Wall was built and then became Kiesinger's Vice-Chancellor. After the 1969 elections he headed the first West German government not to include the Christian Democrats. Received the Nobel Peace Prize for improving Germany's relations with Eastern Europe and EastGermany (''Neue Ostpolitik''). [[DramaticSitDown Most remembered for his genuflection]] (''Kniefall'') at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial in Poland. He had to resign after one of his closest advisors, Günter Guillaume, was revealed to be an East German spy. He commissioned the Brandt Report on the North-South divide and once again came to prominence as an elder statesmen when the Wall fell. In 2003, he was voted 5th greatest German of all time.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998, still alive as of November 14, 2014) -- Christian Democrat. Became chancellor through a motion of no confidence against Helmut Schmidt. He worked towards a Europe without borders (Schengen Treaty) and laid the foundation for the Euro. Was a favorite target for political cabaretists and caricaturists, just like MargaretThatcher in Britain, although less for controversial policy (although there was some of that) and more for his personality--he had something of an aggressively anti-elitist and provincial style, with the prime emblem of that being his insistence that visiting heads of state be treated to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saumagen Saumagen]] (a rustic dish that amounts to [[HaggisIsHorrible haggis]], but made from pork and from his native Palatinate) when visiting Germany. Polls showed that he would lose the next election, but then [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Wall came down]]. He wasted no time, promised ''Reunification as fast as possible'' and garnered the support of the allies of [[WW2 WWII]] for it. This earned him two reelections in the reunified Germany.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998, still alive as of November 14, 2014) -- Christian Democrat. That election? The CDU/CSU won it, as the east Germans were understandably suspicious of socialism and bore a great deal of goodwill towards Kohl personally. Some SPD types actually accused him of pursuing the "reunification as quickly as possible" policy in order to stay in power--which might have been true for all we know. After the Reunification, Kohl struggled with his promises that he had made to the east Germans. The high rates of unemployment resulting from unification and the economic measures that he imposed to cope with the cost of the process ended his chancellorship after 16 years. Due to his long rule, he is sometimes called "Der ewige Kanzler" ("The eternal chancellor"). His talent to a) make friends among the mighty of the world and b) neutralize his political enemies may have helped him stay in power that long.

* Angela Merkel (2005-present) -- Christian Democrat. [[IronLady First woman]] and first person from the former EastGermany to have the job.[[note]]Though she was born in Hamburg and moved to the GDR agd only a few weeks when her father became a pastor in Quitzow in Brandenburg[[/note]] She is a Doctor of Physics (her Thesis was about ''quantum chemistry'') who moved into East German politics around the time of the [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp fall of the Berlin Wall]]; she was elected to the first, last, and only democratically-elected ''Volkskammer'' (parliament) of EastGermany before it dissolved. Forbes lists her among the most powerful women in the world since 2006. In 2009, the Christian Democrats' traditional allies, the Free Democrats (FDP; free-market liberals) picked up enough seats to allow Merkel to shed the SPD and govern with their preferred partner. As Chancellor, she is known more for being a faltering pair of hands at the helm, as opposed to the flashy media-genius of her predecessor. Also got embarrassed by being named "[[EmbarrassingNickname unfuckable lard-arse]]" - by [[TheCasanova Silvio Berlusconi]] nonetheless. Recently, Americans have been hearing her name in the news a lot, since it was revealed the American spy agencies were spying on her cell phone and her Internet searches.

* UsefulNotes/OttoVonBismarck (1871-1890) -- Proud owner of a BadassMoustache ''and'' a BaldOfAwesome. Nicknamed "Der eiserne Kanzler" ("The Iron Chancellor"). Most famous for his {{Genghis Gambit}}s that led to the unification of Germany (minus Austria), the creation of the welfare state[[note]]Despite being a staunch conservative, Bismark essentially invented the welfare state...as a way of undercutting any attempts of Marxists and other outright socialists to appeal to the German populace.[[/note]] and his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe by isolating France and being allies or neutral with all other powers. Most infamous for his [[strike: attacks on neighboring nations]] [[MagnificentBastard manipulating neighboring nations into starting wars with him so he could have them trounced without being seen as the aggressor]] (re: the GenghisGambit spree), censorship laws, anti-socialist laws, and weakening the democratic organs of the German Empire via the constitution he wrote, blunders against the Catholic church (''Kulturkampf'' - struggle about culture), and [[TheChessmaster his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe]]. He opposed German colonialism, but ended up getting colonies for Germany anyway due to his ''{{Realpolitik}}''. Emperor Wilhelm I mostly let Bismarck do whatever he wanted. Wilhelm ''II'' however, wanted to govern the country himself and forced Bismarck to resign after several disagreements over social reforms and anti-socialist laws). During his retirement, [[IgnoredExpert Bismarck]] warned the Emperor several times that his aggressive foreign policy would lead to war. He famously predicted both the trigger of WorldWarOne ("some damned silly thing in the Balkans") as well as the year it broke out. In 2003, he was voted 9th greatest German of all time.
* Leo von Caprivi (1890-1894) -- Or, to give his full name, Georg Leo [[TheVonTropeFamily von Caprivi]] [[OverlyLongName de Caprera de Montecuccoli]], who was made a count in 1891. This former general, who also had been the head of the German navy from 1883 to 1888, had the thankless job of being Bismarck's successor, against whom almost anyone would've compared unfavorably. He began the implementation of Wilhelm II's "New Course" into German policy: Social reforms, more free trade and a pro-British foreign policy. The latter included giving up the good relations with Russia, since he himself admitted that he wasn't MagnificentBastard enough to maintain Bismarck's sophisticated foreign policy. He finished the negotiations for the Zanzibar treaty, which traded land between Germany and the British Empire. A strip of land in Africa is still named after him.

* Bernhard von Bülow (1900-1909) -- Had already been something of a "shadow chancellor" during the later years of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst. His ill-thought foreign policy poisoned the relations with Britain, which led to the creation of the ''Entente'' between Britain and France. With his statements of support of Austria-Hungary regarding the Balkans (''[[Literature/{{Nibelungenlied}} Nibelungentreue]]'') he helped laying the foundation for WorldWarOne. Critics claimed he was so slimy "compared to him, an eel is like a hedgehog!" The Daily-Telegraph-Affair destroyed his relationship with the Emperor and he had to resign. His posthumously published memoirs were so blatantly self serving that the ex-Kaiser said Bülow was the only man he'd known who had died and ''then'' committed suicide.

* Friedrich Ebert (1918) -- Social Democrat. He was proclaimed chancellor by Maximilian of Baden on the first day of the revolution without being asked beforehand. This was an attempt to "parliamentize" the revolution, but the following day a revolutionary government, the ''Rat der Volksbeauftragten'' (Council of the People's Representatives) was instituted. This consisted of three representatives of the Majority Social Democrats and three Independent Social Democrats under the joint presidency of Ebert and Independent Social Democrat Hugo Haase. After the bloody suppression of the Spartakus rising, the Independent Social Democrats left the Council in protest and Haase was replaced as Ebert's colleague by Majority Social Democrat Philipp Scheidemann on 29 December 1918. The two oversaw the transition from the German Empire to the Weimar Republic, the beginning of the demobilisation and prevented a Bolshevist revolution with military force. Today, Ebert is more remembered for being the first President of the Weimar Republic.

In the Weimar Republic, which officially still called itself ''Deutsches Reich'' (German Empire), the Chancellor (''Reichskanzler'') and all ministers were appointed by the President (''Reichspräsident''; the [[ReplacementScrappy "Ersatzkaiser"]]), but could be disposed by the lower house (''Reichstag'') with a simple majority. The Reichskanzler was a weaker figure than under the monarchy, as his ministers were not bound to follow any of his orders and the cabinet could overturn his decisions by majoritiy vote. Officially the head of the government only was called ''Reichskanzler'' since August 14, 1919, from February 1919 up until his official title was that of the ''Reichsministerpräsident''.

* Gustav Stresemann (1923) -- Liberal Nationalist. One of the most well remembered chancellors of the Weimar Republic and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He ended the passive resistance in the Rhineland, reached several agreements with the Entente regarding Versailles and did a monetary reform to end the hyperinflation. [[UngratefulBastard The Reichstag axed him anyway]]. He stayed Germany's foreign minister until his death of a stroke in 1929 which left a huge gap in Germany's diplomatic relations, especially those with France.

* Hans Luther (1925-1926) -- Independent. His majority in the Reichstag fell apart after he had recognized the new eastern border. He was deposed later over a Flag dispute with Hindenburg.

* Wilhelm Marx (1926-1928) -- Centre Party. In his second run, he brought Germany into the League of Nations and fired General Hans von Seeckt, who had turned the Reichswehr into a "state within a state".

The Weimar Republic was an unstable political clusterfuck of epic proportions with 21 administrations under 12 chancellors in only 14 years. The weakness of many Weimar governments stemmed from the use of Proportional Representation, which forced many parties into weak coalitions and allowed the extremists to have a much greater influence, and the fact that the President could remove and appoint new Chancellors whenever it suited him. Most of its chancellors are largely forgotten today due to their short terms and failure to make a difference. Scheidemann and Stresemann are still remembered positively. Franz von Papen is still infamous for his [[EvilChancellor manipulations of the increasingly senile President Hindenburg]] and for his role in Hitler's rise to the office of chancellor. [[KarmaHoudini He lived until 1969 and never saw prison]].

* Willy Brandt (1969-1974) -- Social Democrat. Born as Herbert Frahm in Lübeck, forced to flee the country (to Norway) when the Nazis came to power, for which he took Willy Brandt as his new name. His resistance to Nazism, emigration plus the fact that he was born to unmarried parents were still seen as "scandalous enough" in the early 1960s to be used as ammunition against him during his first national election campaigns. Gained stature as Governing Burgomaster of (West) Berlin around the time the Wall was built and then became Kiesinger's Vice-Chancellor. After the 1969 elections he headed the first West German government not to include the Christian Democrats. Received the Nobel Peace Prize for improving Germany's relations with Eastern Europe and EastGermany (''Neue Ostpolitik''). [[DramaticSitDown Most remembered for his genuflection]] (''Kniefall'') at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial in Poland. He had to resign after one of his closest advisors, Günter Guillaume, was revealed to be an East German spy. He commissioned the Brandt Report on the North-South divide and once again came to prominence as an elder statesmen when the Wall fell. In 2003, he was voted 5th greatest German of all time.
* Helmut Schmidt (1974-1982, still alive as of November 14, 2014) -- Social Democrat. Sometimes called "Schmidt-Schnauze" (roughly: Big mouth). He ran the country during the terror of the [[WesternTerrorists Red Army Faction]]. He was the realist/pragmatist/cynical {{foil}} for Willy Brandt, the big idealist. At more than 90 years old, he now is unofficially the only man allowed to smoke on German television[[note]] He was interviewed for television in New York, after the banning of smoking in public places, and nobody even bothered him about it.[[/note]] and was voted the most popular German politician of recent history in 2005.

* Willy Brandt (1969-1974) -- Social Democrat. Received the Nobel Peace Prize for improving Germany's relations with Eastern Europe and EastGermany (''Neue Ostpolitik''). [[DramaticSitDown Most remembered for his genuflection]] (''Kniefall'') at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial in Poland. He had to resign after one of his closest advisors, Günter Guillaume, was revealed to be an East German spy. He commissioned the Brandt Report on the North-South divide. In 2003, he was voted 5th greatest German of all time.
* Helmut Schmidt (1974-1982, still alive as of December 3, 2013) -- Social Democrat. Sometimes called "Schmidt-Schnauze" (roughly: Big mouth). He ran the country during the terror of the [[WesternTerrorists Red Army Faction]]. He was the realist/pragmatist/cynical {{foil}} for Willy Brandt, the big idealist. At more than 90 years old, he now is unofficially the only man allowed to smoke on German television[[note]] He was interviewed for television in New York, after the banning of smoking in public places, and nobody even bothered him about it.[[/note]] and was voted the most popular German politician of recent history in 2005.
* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998, still alive as of December 3, 2013) -- Christian Democrat. Became chancellor through a motion of no confidence against Helmut Schmidt. He worked towards a Europe without borders (Schengen Treaty) and laid the foundation for the Euro. Was a favorite target for political cabaretists and caricaturists, just like MargaretThatcher in Britain, although less for controversial policy (although there was some of that) and more for his personality--he had something of an aggressively anti-elitist and provincial style, with the prime emblem of that being his insistence that visiting heads of state be treated to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saumagen Saumagen]] (a rustic dish that amounts to [[HaggisIsHorrible haggis]], but made from pork and from his native Palatinate) when visiting Germany. Polls showed that he would lose the next election, but then [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Wall came down]]. He wasted no time, promised ''Reunification as fast as possible'' and garnered the support of the allies of [[WW2 WWII]] for it. This earned him two reelections in the reunified Germany.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998, still alive as of December 3, 2013) -- Christian Democrat. That election? The CDU/CSU won it, as the east Germans were understandably suspicious of socialism and bore a great deal of goodwill towards Kohl personally. Some SPD types actually accused him of pursuing the "reunification as quickly as possible" policy in order to stay in power--which might have been true for all we know. After the Reunification, Kohl struggled with his promises that he had made to the east Germans. The high rates of unemployment resulting from unification and the economic measures that he imposed to cope with the cost of the process ended his chancellorship after 16 years. Due to his long rule, he is sometimes called "Der ewige Kanzler" ("The eternal chancellor"). His talent to a) make friends among the mighty of the world and b) neutralize his political enemies may have helped him stay in power that long.
* Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005, still alive as of December 3, 2013) -- Social Democrat. Originally very pro-American (he supported the Afghanistan war), he later actively opposed the Iraq war and improved Germany's relations with France and Russia instead (most notably the controversial Baltic pipeline). Schröder did several social reforms that alienated many social democrats--his vaguely neoliberal orientation combined with his cigar-chomping ways to earned him the nickname "Genosse der Bosse" ("Comrade of the Bosses"), and these policies combined with his personal charisma have led many to call him the German TonyBlair. He proved to be quite the electoral MagnificentBastard in 2005: when he felt that he had lost his support in the Bundestag, he filed a motion of no confidence against himself to trigger re-elections. He then turned on the charm and campaigned like hell, managing to get the SPD's share of the vote much higher than expected and forcing a grand coalition in the next Bundestag. He could have even stayed on as Chancellor if he hadn't promised not to enter in an alliance with the Left Party.

* From 1945 to 1949, Germany had no Chancellor, as it was ruled directly by the occupying Allied powers (UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates, UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom, {{UsefulNotes/France}}, and {{UsefulNotes/Russia}}).

Learning from the failure of the Weimar Republc, the Bonn Republic featured a largely depowered Federal President (''Bundespräsident'') and a ''much'' stronger lower house.

* Konrad Adenauer (1949-1963) -- Christian Democrat (i.e. Conservative). Nicknamed "Der Alte" ("The old one"), as he was already 73 years old upon election. [[DecidedByOneVote Won by just one vote]] - it is claimed, his own one. Former grand mayor of Cologne, [[DisproportionateRetribution but the Nazis destroyed his political career - and later even threw him in a concentration camp - for refusing to shake the hand of an influential Nazi leader]]. Adenauer oriented Germany towards the West (''Westbindung''), reconciled with France and, together with Ludwig Erhard, made the economic boom (''Wirtschaftswunder'') possible. Together with De Gaulle, he laid the foundation for the EU. He made [[ASmallTownInGermany a dinky small town at the Rhine]] the capital and [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome secured the return of the last Germany [=POWs=] from the Soviet Union in 1955]]. He also had seven kids and even more grandkids. (Helmut Kohl isn't among them, although he called himself "Adenauer's grandson".) In 2003, he was voted greatest German of all time.

* In the 1941 film ''ThePrimeMinister'', a biopic of Disraeli, Bismarck is shown ranting whilst his shadow falls across the map of Europe, implying that the 1870s Eastern crisis was caused by German desire to dominate the Balkans (a false implication, but the film was made in Britain during WorldWarII).

'''NaziGermany''' (1933-1945)

* AdolfHitler (1933-1945) -- [[ThoseWackyNazis National Socialist]] ([[CaptainObvious Duh]]). After being appointed, Hitler wasted no time and formed a coalition of anti-democratic/anti-communist parties, talked Hindenburg to give him more powers and used the Reichstag Fire to pass the Enabling Act (''Reichsermächtigungsgesetz''). In the ''Night of the Long Knives'' (aka Röhm-Putsch), Hitler's SS killed several SA competitors and drove many of his allies (including von Papen) out of politics. Upon Hindenburg's death, Hitler merged the offices of chancellor and president into one position called "(Supreme) Leader and Reich Chancellor" (''"Führer und Reichskanzler"''). As the years passed and the Nazis tightened their control over Germany, the trappings of parliamentary government faded away--the Cabinet met as a body for the last time in 1938, the Reichstag met for the last time in 1942, and in the later years Hitler was referred to only as ''Führer'', with ''Reichskanzler'' being dropped. [[NaziGermany The rest]] [[WorldWarTwo is history]]. More about him on [[AdolfHitler his own page]].

!!Appearances of German Chancellors (except for [[AdolfHitler Hitler, who has his own page]]) in fiction:

* [[SeenItAMillionTimes Much comedy has been made]] of Angela Merkel receiving an unwanted back rub from GeorgeWBush at a summit a few years back, mostly at the latter's expense.

* Angela Merkel (2005-present) -- Christian Democrat. [[IronLady First woman]] and first person from the former EastGermany to have the job. She is a Doctor of Physics (her Thesis was about ''quantum chemistry'') who moved into East German politics around the time of the [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp fall of the Berlin Wall]]; she was elected to the first, last, and only democratically-elected ''Volkskammer'' (parliament) of EastGermany before it dissolved. Forbes lists her among the most powerful women in the world since 2006. In 2009, the Christian Democrats' traditional allies, the Free Democrats (FDP; free-market liberals) picked up enough seats to allow Merkel to shed the SPD and govern with their preferred partner. As Chancellor, she is known more for being a faltering pair of hands at the helm, as opposed to the flashy media-genius of her predecessor. Also got embarrassed by being named "[[EmbarrassingNickname unfuckable lard-arse]]" - by [[TheCasanova Silvio Berlusconi]] nonetheless. Recently, Americans have been hearing her name in the news a lot, since it was revealed the American spy agencies were spying on her cell phone and her Internet searches.

In the Weimar Republic, which officially still called itself ''Deutsches Reich'' (German Empire), the Chancellor (''Reichskanzler'') and all ministers were appointed by the President (''Reichspräsident''; the [[ReplacementScrappy "Ersatzkaiser"]]), but could be disposed by the lower house (''Reichstag'') with a simple majority. The Reichskanzler was a weaker figure than under the monarchy, as his ministers were not bound to follow any of his orders and the cabinet could overturn his decisions by majoritiy vote.

* Philipp Scheidemann (1919) -- Social Democrat. No documentary about general German history is complete without the footage of him proclaiming the republic from a balcony of the Reichstag building in 1918. He opposed the Treaty of Versailles and chose to resign rather than to approve to it.
* Gustav Bauer (1919-1920) -- Social Democrat. He approved the Treaty of Versailles, but not without [[{{Foreshadowing}} subtext of revenge]]. He lost the support of the SPD after the Kapp-Putsch and resigned.

* Joseph Wirth (1922) -- Centre Party. His first administration resigned as a protest against the transfer of upper Silesia to Poland by the Entente. He is most remembered for his famous speech during his second administration: ''[[ThoseWackyNazis "The Enemy is to the right"]]''.

* Wilhelm Marx (1923-1925) -- Centre Party. He stabilized the economy further and struggled with seperatists in Palatinate and the Rhineland.

* Friedrich Ebert (1918-1919) -- Social Democrat. He was proclaimed chancellor by Maximilian of Baden on the first day of the revolution without being asked beforehand. This was an attempt to "parliamentize" the revolution and to keep it form turning into a full blown civil war like the Russian Revolution. He oversaw the transition from the German Empire to the Weimar Republic, the beginning of the demobilisation and prevented a Bolshevist revolution with military force. Today, he is more remembered for being the first President of the Weimar Republic.

In the Weimar Republic, the Imperial Chancellor (''Reichskanzler'') and all ministers were appointed by the Imperial President (''Reichspräsident''; the [[ReplacementScrappy "Ersatzkaiser"]]), but could be disposed by the lower house (''Reichstag'') with a simple majority. The Reichskanzler was a fairly weak figure, as his ministers were not bound to follow any of his orders and the cabinet could overturn his decisions by majoritiy vote.

* Wilhelm Cuno (1922-1923) -- Independent. He, too, struggled with the reparation payments. When France and Belgium occupied the Rhineland he encouraged "passive resistance" through general strikes and sabotage. This bankrupted the country further and he had to resign.

* Hermann Müller (1928-1930) -- Social Democrat. Considered the last democratic chancellor of the Weimar Republic. His administration was toppled by a dispute over a 0.25% increase of the unemployment insurance payments.

* UsefulNotes/OttoVonBismarck (1871-1890) -- Proud owner of a BadassMoustache ''and'' a BaldOfAwesome. Nicknamed "Der eiserne Kanzler" ("The Iron Chancellor"). Most famous for his {{Genghis Gambit}}s that led to the unification of Germany (minus Austria), the creation of the welfare state[[note]]Despite being a staunch conservative, Bismark essentially invented the welfare state...as a way of undercutting any attempts of Marxists and other outright socialists to appeal to the German populace.[[/note]] and his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe by isolating France and being allies or neutral with all other powers. Most infamous for his [[strike: attacks on neighboring nations]] [[MagnificentBastard manipulating neighboring nations into starting wars with him so he could have them trounced without being seen as the aggressor]] (re: the GenghisGambit spree), censorship laws, anti-socialist laws, and weakening the democratic organs of the German Empire via the constitution he wrote, blunders against the Catholic church (''Kulturkampf'' - struggle about culture), the [[StartofDarkness defacto kidnapping of the young to-be Wilhelm II]], and [[TheChessmaster his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe]]. He opposed German colonialism, but ended up getting colonies for Germany anyway due to his ''{{Realpolitik}}''. Emperor Wilhelm I mostly let Bismarck do whatever he wanted. Wilhelm ''II'' however, wanted to govern the country himself and forced Bismarck to resign after several disagreements over social reforms and anti-socialist laws ([[FreudianExcuse as well as the abuse he was subjected to earlier in life at Bismarck's hands]]). During his retirement, [[IgnoredExpert Bismarck]] warned the Emperor several times that his aggressive foreign policy would lead to war. He famously predicted both the trigger of WorldWarOne ("some damned silly thing in the Balkans") as well as the year it broke out. In 2003, he was voted 9th greatest German of all time.

* UsefulNotes/OttoVonBismarck (1871-1890) -- Proud owner of a BadassMoustache ''and'' a BaldOfAwesome. Nicknamed "Der eiserne Kanzler" ("The Iron Chancellor"). Most famous for his {{Genghis Gambit}}s that led to the unification of Germany (minus Austria), the creation of the welfare state[[note]]Despite being a staunch conservative, Bismark essentially invented the welfare state...as a way of undercutting any attempts of Marxists and other outright socialists to appeal to the German populace.[[/note]] and his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe by isolating France and being allies or neutral with all other powers. Most infamous for his destruction of the Frankfurt Parliament in 1848, his [[strike: attacks on neighboring nations]] [[MagnificentBastard manipulating neighboring nations into starting wars with him so he could have them trounced without being seen as the aggressor]] (re: the GenghisGambit spree), censorship laws, anti-socialist laws, and weakening the Democratic organs of the German Empire via the constitution he wrote, blunders against the Catholic church (''Kulturkampf'' - struggle about culture), the [[StartofDarkness defacto kidnapping of the young to-be Wilhelm II]], and [[TheChessmaster his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe]]. He opposed German colonialism, but ended up getting colonies for Germany anyway due to his ''{{Realpolitik}}''. Emperor Wilhelm I mostly let Bismarck do whatever he wanted. Wilhelm ''II'' however, wanted to govern the country himself and forced Bismarck to resign after several disagreements over social reforms and anti-socialist laws ([[FreudianExcuse as well as the abuse he was subjected to earlier in life at Bismarck's hands]]). During his retirement, [[IgnoredExpert Bismarck]] warned the Emperor several times that his aggressive foreign policy would lead to war. He famously predicted both the trigger of WorldWarOne ("some damned silly thing in the Balkans") as well as the year it broke out. In 2003, he was voted 9th greatest German of all time.
* Leo von Caprivi (1890-1894) -- Former Army General. Had the thankless job of being Bismarck's successor, against whom almost anyone would've compared unfavorably. He began the implementation of Wilhelm II's "New Course" into German policy: Social reforms, more free trade and a pro-British foreign policy. The latter included giving up the good relations with Russia, since he himself admitted that he wasn't MagnificentBastard enough to maintain Bismarck's sophisticated foreign policy. He finished the negotiations for the Zanzibar treaty, which traded land between Germany and the British Empire. A strip of land in Africa is still named after him.
* Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1894-1900) -- Elderly (he was already 75 in 1894) former prime minister of Bavaria and diplomat. He finished the BGB, the first civil code for all of Germany, which is still in force today.
* Bernhard von Bülow (1900-1909) -- Had already been something of a "shadow chancellor" during the later years of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst. His ill-thought foreign policy poisoned the relations with Britain, which led to the creation of the ''Entente'' between Britain and France. With his statements of support of Austria-Hungary regarding the balkans (''[[Literature/{{Nibelungenlied}} Nibelungentreue]]'') he helped laying the foundation for WorldWarOne. Critics claimed he was so slimy "compared to him, an eel is like a hedgehog!" The Daily-Telegraph-Affair destroyed his relationship with the Emperor and he had to resign. His posthumously published memoirs were so blatantly self serving that the ex-Kaiser said Bülow was the only man he'd known who had died and ''then'' committed suicide.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998, still alive as of December 3, 2013) -- Christian Democrat. Became chancellor through a motion of no confidence against Helmut Schmidt. He worked towards a Europe without borders (Schengen Treaty) and laid the foundation for the Euro. Was a favorite target for political cabaretists and caricaturists, just like MargaretThatcher in Britain, although less for controversial policy (although there was some of that) and more for his personality--he had something of an aggressively anti-elitist and provincial style, with the prime emblem of that being his insistence that visiting heads of state be treated to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saumagen Saumagen]] (a rustic dish that amounts to [[HaggisIsHorrible haggis]], but made from pork and from his native Palatinate). Polls showed that he would lose the next election, but then [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Wall came down]]. He wasted no time, promised ''Reunification as fast as possible'' and garnered the support of the allies of [[WW2 WWII]] for it. This earned him two reelections in the reunified Germany.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998, still alive as of December 3, 2013) -- Christian Democrat. Became chancellor through a motion of no confidence against Helmut Schmidt. He worked towards a Europe without borders (Schengen Treaty) and laid the foundation for the Euro. Was a favorite target for political cabaretists and caricaturists, just like MargaretThatcher in Britain, although less for controversial policy (although there was some of that) and more for his personality--he had something of an aggressively anti-elitist style, with the prime emblem of that being his insistence that visiting heads of state be treated to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saumagen Saumagen]] (a rustic dish that amounts to [[HaggisIsHorrible haggis]], but made from pork and from his native Palatinate). Polls showed that he would lose the next election, but then [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Wall came down]]. He wasted no time, promised ''Reunification as fast as possible'' and garnered the support of the allies of [[WW2 WWII]] for it. This earned him two reelections in the reunified Germany.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998, still alive as of December 3, 2013) -- Christian Democrat. Became chancellor through a motion of no confidence against Helmut Schmidt. He worked towards a Europe without borders (Schengen Treaty) and laid the foundation for the Euro. Was a favorite target for political cabaretists and caricaturists, just like MargaretThatcher in Britain. Polls showed that he would lose the next election, but then [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Wall came down]]. He wasted no time, promised ''Reunification as fast as possible'' and garnered the support of the allies of [[WW2 WWII]] for it. This earned him two reelections in the reunified Germany.

From 1945 to 1949 Germany had no Chancellor, as it was ruled directly by the occupying Allied powers.

* Helmut Schmidt (1974-1982) -- Social Democrat. Sometimes called "Schmidt-Schnauze" (roughly: Big mouth). He ran the country during the terror of the [[WesternTerrorists Red Army Faction]]. He was the realist/pragmatist/cynical {{foil}} for Willy Brandt, the big idealist. At more than 90 years old, he now is unofficially the only man allowed to smoke on German television[[note]] He was interviewed for television in New York, after the banning of smoking in public places, and nobody even bothered him about it.[[/note]] and was voted the most popular German politician of recent history in 2005.
* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998) -- Christian Democrat. Became chancellor through a motion of no confidence against Helmut Schmidt. He worked towards a Europe without borders (Schengen Treaty) and laid the foundation for the Euro. Was a favorite target for political cabaretists and caricaturists, just like MargaretThatcher in Britain. Polls showed that he would lose the next election, but then [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Wall came down]]. He wasted no time, promised ''Reunification as fast as possible'' and garnered the support of the allies of [[WW2 WWII]] for it. This earned him two reelections in the reunified Germany.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998) -- Christian Democrat. That election? The CDU/CSU won it, as the east Germans were understandably suspicious of socialism and bore a great deal of goodwill towards Kohl personally. Some SPD types actually accused him of pursuing the "reunification as quickly as possible" policy in order to stay in power--which might have been true for all we know. After the Reunification, Kohl struggled with his promises that he had made to the east Germans. The high rates of unemployment resulting from unification and the economic measures that he imposed to cope with the cost of the process ended his chancellorship after 16 years. Due to his long rule, he is sometimes called "Der ewige Kanzler" ("The eternal chancellor"). His talent to a) make friends among the mighty of the world and b) neutralize his political enemies may have helped him stay in power that long.
* Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005) -- Social Democrat. Originally very pro-American (he supported the Afghanistan war), he later actively opposed the Iraq war and improved Germany's relations with France and Russia instead (most notably the controversial Baltic pipeline). Schröder did several social reforms that alienated many social democrats--his vaguely neoliberal orientation combined with his cigar-chomping ways to earned him the nickname "Genosse der Bosse" ("Comrade of the Bosses"), and these policies combined with his personal charisma have led many to call him the German TonyBlair. He proved to be quite the electoral MagnificentBastard in 2005: when he felt that he had lost his support in the Bundestag, he filed a motion of no confidence against himself to trigger re-elections. He then turned on the charm and campaigned like hell, managing to get the SPD's share of the vote much higher than expected and forcing a grand coalition in the next Bundestag. He could have even stayed on as Chancellor if he hadn't promised not to enter in an alliance with the Left Party.

* UsefulNotes/OttoVonBismarck (1871-1890) -- Proud owner of a BadassMoustache ''and'' a BaldOfAwesome. Nicknamed "Der eiserne Kanzler" ("The Iron Chancellor"). Most famous for his {{Genghis Gambit}}s that led to the unification of Germany (minus Austria), the creation of the welfare state and his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe by isolating France and being allies or neutral with all other powers. Most infamous for his destruction of the Frankfurt Parliament in 1848, his [[strike: attacks on neighboring nations]] [[MagnificentBastard manipulating neighboring nations into starting wars with him so he could have them trounced without being seen as the aggressor]] (re: the GenghisGambit spree), censorship laws, anti-socialist laws, and weakening the Democratic organs of the German Empire via the constitution he wrote, blunders against the Catholic church (''Kulturkampf'' - struggle about culture), the [[StartofDarkness defacto kidnapping of the young to-be Wilhelm II]], and [[TheChessmaster his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe]]. He opposed German colonialism, but ended up getting colonies for Germany anyway due to his ''{{Realpolitik}}''. Emperor Wilhelm I mostly let Bismarck do whatever he wanted. Wilhelm ''II'' however, wanted to govern the country himself and forced Bismarck to resign after several disagreements over social reforms and anti-socialist laws ([[FreudianExcuse as well as the abuse he was subjected to earlier in life at Bismarck's hands]]). During his retirement, [[IgnoredExpert Bismarck]] warned the Emperor several times that his aggressive foreign policy would lead to war. He famously predicted both the trigger of WorldWarOne ("some damned silly thing in the Balkans") as well as the year it broke out. In 2003, he was voted 9th greatest German of all time.

* Angela Merkel (2005-present) -- Christian Democrat. [[IronLady First woman]] and first person from the former EastGermany to have the job. She is a Doctor of Physics (her Thesis was about ''quantum chemistry'') who moved into East German politics around the time of the [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp fall of the Berlin Wall]]; she was elected to the first, last, and only democratically-elected ''Volkskammer'' (parliament) of EastGermany before it dissolved. Forbes lists her among the most powerful women in the world since 2006. In 2009, the Christian Democrats' traditional allies, the Free Democrats (FDP; free-market liberals) picked up enough seats to allow Merkel to shed the SPD and govern with their preferred partner. As Chancellor, she is known more for being a faltering pair of hands at the helm, as opposed to the flashy media-genius of her predecessor. Also got embarrassed by being named "[[EmbarrassingNickname unfuckable lard-arse]]" - by [[TheCasanova Silvio Berlusconi]] nonetheless.

* Helmut Schmidt (1974-1982) -- Social Democrat. Sometimes called "Schmidt-Schnauze" (roughly: Big mouth). He ran the country during the terror of the [[WesternTerrorists Red Army Faction]]. He was the realist/pragmatist/cynical {{foil}} for Willy Brandt, the big idealist. At more than 90 years old, he now is unofficially the only man allowed to smoke on German television[[note]] He was interviewed for television in new york, after the banning of smoking in public places, and nobody even bothered him about it.[[/note]] and was voted the most popular German politician of recent history in 2005.

* Otto von Bismarck appears as a character in the historical novel ''Royal Flash'', part of the {{Flashman}} series of books by GeorgeMacDonaldFraser. In the novel, Bismarck is portrayed as a very aggressive and ambitious character with excellent horsemanship skills. In the film version, he was portrayed by Oliver Reed.

* Helmut Kohl (1982-1998) -- Christian Democrat. That election? The CDU/CSU won it, as the east Germans were understandably suspicious of socialism and bore a great deal of goodwill towards Kohl personally. Some SPD types actually accused him of pursuing the "reunification as quickly as possible" policy in order to stay in power--which might have been true for all we know. After the Reunification, Kohl struggled with his promises that he had made to the east Germans. The high rates of unemployment ended his chancellorship after 16 years. Due to his long rule, he is sometimes called "Der ewige Kanzler" ("The eternal chancellor"). His talent to a) make friends among the mighty of the world and b) neutralize his political enemies may have helped him stay in power that long.

* Angela Merkel (2005-present) -- Christian Democrat. [[IronLady First woman]] and first person from the former EastGermany to have the job. She is a Doctor of Physics (her Thesis was about ''quantum chemistry'') who moved into East German politics around the time of the [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp fall of the Berlin Wall]]; she was elected to the first, last, and only democratically-elected ''Volkskammer'' (parliament) of EastGermany before it dissolved. Forbes lists her among the most powerful women in the world since 2006. In 2009, the Christian Democrats' traditional allies, the Free Democrats (FDP; free-market liberals) picked up enough seats to allow Merkel to shed the SPD and govern with their preferred partner. As Chancellor, she is known more for being a [[BoringButPractical steady pair of hands]] at the helm, as opposed to the flashy media-genius of her predecessor. Also got embarrassed by being named "[[EmbarrassingNickname unfuckable lard-arse]]" - by [[TheCasanova Silvio Berlusconi]] nonetheless.

* Helmut Schmidt (1974-1982) -- Social Democrat. Sometimes called "Schmidt-Schnauze" (roughly: Big mouth). He ran the country during the terror of the [[WesternTerrorists Red Army Faction]]. He was the realist/pragmatist/cynical {{foil}} for Willy Brandt, the big idealist. At more than 90 years old, he now is unofficially the only man allowed to smoke on German television and was voted the most popular German politician of recent history in 2005.