Hermann Ehlers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the Bundestag West Germany | |
| In office 19 October 1950 – 29 October 1954 | |
| Preceded by | Erich Köhler |
| Succeeded by | Eugen Gerstenmaier |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1904-10-01)1 October 1904 Berlin,German Empire |
| Died | 29 October 1954(1954-10-29) (aged 50) Oldenburg,West Germany |
| Political party | CDU |
| Spouse | Jutta Taubert |
Hermann Ehlers (1 October 1904 – 29 October 1954) was a Germanpolitician. He was the secondpresident of the Bundestag from 19 October 1950 to 29 October 1954.
He was a member of theChristian Democratic Union.
Ehlers was born inBerlin on 1 October 1904 to Hermann Heinrich Ludwig Ehlers and Adelheid Louise Auguste (Rabe) Ehlers. His parents moved to Berlin fromSülze shortly before Hermann's birth due to the opening of a job with the post office for the elder Ehlers. Hermann was raised in a bourgeoisie, politically conservative and evangelical environment.
After graduating from vocational school inSteglitz in 1922, Ehlers began studying law at theHumboldt University of Berlin. Ehlers' time at college was surely influenced by the revolutions, inflation, unemployment, and political radicalization that characterized Germany followingWorld War I,[1] and Ehler became exceedingly active in student political groups such as the "Verband der Vereine Deutscher Studenten" (United German Student Union).
Ehlers began studying at theUniversity of Bonn in the summer of 1924, where he began attending the lectures of the famous but controversial professor ofconstitutional law,Carl Schmitt.[2] Schmitt, a pioneer in the realm of authoritarian politics, ultimately inspired Ehlers to write his dissertation on the "Essence and Effects of an Imperial Prussian State."[3] Ehlers was also heavily influenced by the early national-socialistArthur Moeller van den Bruck during this time, and began to sympathize with theGerman National People's Party, a precursor to theNational Socialist German Worker's Party of the 1930s.
Although initially enthusiastic about the sense of national awakening that occurred in the wake of the appointment ofAdolf Hitler as chancellor, Ehlers was ultimately turned away from the Nazi movement by his Christian beliefs and activity within the church.[4] After passing the state bar exam and receiving the title of "Gerichtsassessor" in July 1931, Ehlers began working in the administration service of theEvangelischen Kirche der Altpreußischen Union (Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union). He continued to work in various offices for the church throughout the 1930s.
In 1937, Ehlers along with three other members of theConfessing Church were arrested by theGestapo on charges of "disobedience to the state." These charges stemmed from a decision made by the Confession Church to act against the will of the Reich and publish the names of those who had succeeded from the church for political gain. Since Ehlers was not present at the meeting in which the church decided to publish these names, he was released from prison after only fourteen days. His arrest reflects the fine line he and his fellow church members were walking in relation to the Nazi government. Throughout the remainder of the Nazi-Era Ehlers would continue to identify Hitler's regime as the primary opponent of the church, and viewed the ongoing battle as a necessary one: "We no longer oppose an illegitimate church government, but rather the state. We must go the way of disobedience. This will certainly mean an exasperating fight.".[5]
Ehlers was drafted into the military on 23 October 1940, and assigned toanti-aircraft warfare inHamburg. He became a candidate for the title of officer on 20 February 1942 and was promoted tolieutenant a year later. Throughout his time in the military he continued to commit himself to the council of the Confessing Church.
Ehlers decided in August 1946 on the basis of his Christian beliefs to begin working with theCDU, and began his political career as a councilman inOldenburg. He was elected to the GermanBundestag in 1949, and his election asPresident of the Bundestag in 1950 served as a symbol of the party's commitment to remaining interconfessional.
Ehlers death because of a septictonsillitis on 29 October 1954 in an Oldenburg hospital came as a surprise to all involved.
Ehlers was married to Jutta Taubert, who died in Switzerland in 2002. Multiple schools and dormitories within Germany carry his name, and theHermann Ehlers Stiftung continues to operate as athink tank for the CDU to this day. The Evangelical Task Force of the CDU/CSU has awarded the Hermann Ehlers Medal to church and political personalities for their service to evangelicalism since 2004.
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