Voting Station

Konrad Adenauer

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World Leader

The Resume

    (January 5, 1876-April 19, 1967)
    Born in Cologne, Germany
    Mayor of Cologne (1917-33)
    First Chancellor of West Germany (1949-63)

Why he might be annoying:

    He married into a prominent family and was appointed mayor of Cologne when his wife's uncle resigned the office.
    He was re-appointed mayor of Cologne when the Allies occupied the city, but was soon dismissed by the British for alleged incompetence.
    He supported his defense minister's attempt to have five journalists charged with high treason for writing articles critical of army preparedness (1962).
    He observed, 'The art of politics consists in knowing precisely when it is necessary to hit an opponent slightly below the belt.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was forced out as mayor of Cologne after refusing to shake hands with a Nazi official.
    He was imprisoned three times by the Nazis.
    He negotiated German entry into NATO and the European Union.
    He declared West Germany obligated to pay reparations to Israel, as representative of the Jewish people, in compensation for the Holocaust (1951).
    In a poll conducted by ZDF television, he was named the greatest German of all time (2003).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 84.62% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 24 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 18 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 17 Votes: 58.82% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 16 Votes: 68.75% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 25 Votes: 52.00% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 49 Votes: 38.78% Annoying