Page 83 - The Making of the German Post-war Economy

56 THE MAKING OF THE GERMAN POST-WAR ECONOMY

and proponents of the Social Market Economy. The organ with the
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subtitle Zeitung für Deutschland (Newspaper for Germany) gave Erhard and
the social market economists a voice and nationwide audience. In realising
and using this opportunity, Ludwig Erhard not only wrote for the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, but was also the object of reporting and
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advertisement after Erich Welter suggested that the paper write more
about the ‘Era Erhard’.
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Similarly other private initiatives, such as the Bund Katholischer
Unternehmer (BKU) (Organisation of Catholic Entrepreneurs) founded in
Königswinter in March 1949, Die Waage – Gemeinschaft zur Förderung des
sozialen Ausgleichs e.V. (The Weigh Scales – The Society for the Promotion
of Social Compromise) founded by the economist Götz Briefs, the
entrepreneurs Curt Becker and Philipp F. Reemtsma, the Managing
Director of Glashütte J. Weck, Alphons Horten, the President of the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Cologne, Franz Greiss, and the
Chief Executive of Bayer Leverkusen, Fritz Jacobi, in Cologne in 1952, or
the Aktionsgemeinschaft Soziale Marktwirtschaft (ASM) (Action Group for the
Social Market Economy), established in Heidelberg in May 1953, not only
endorsed Erhard’s economic policy but also informed about the Social
Market Economy’s distinctive exponent. Thus, soon after his
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assumption of office as Director for Economics in the bizonal
administration in March 1948, Erhard and his imperturbable conviction
and passion to campaign for his conception were already well-known
though the German public considered Kurt Schumacher to be the most
competent politician at this time. In essence, the publicity organised and
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financed by the private sector proved to be extremely successful and
conducive to Erhard’s image as a competent economist and politician.
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This public perception was affirmed and amplified by Ludwig Erhard’s
charismatic appearance in pre-parliamentary lectures and debates. The
unpretentious rosy-cheeked man with the round face and the big cigar
along with his polemic and metaphoric speeches radiated optimism and
inspired confidence. Moreover, his strong conviction embodied by an
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altruistic and authentic leading official became ‘the power of a message’ as
the historian Klaus Hildebrand termed it. Hardly anyone in the audience
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was immune to his charisma and power of persuasion; often the bearer of
the message on the marketplaces became more important to the people
than the message itself. This gift to appear convincing and to convey his
own conviction to the masses inevitably aroused the interest of political
parties.
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Overall, three parties, namely the FDP, the CDU and the CSU aimed to
win over the unaligned Erhard. The advocate of the Social Market
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Economy rejected all proposals, however, he was aware of the fact that