ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the Christian Democratic Union's (CDU) and Christlich-Soziale Union's crucial formative years from 1945 to 1949 and second on their role during West Germany's existence as a state from 1949 to 1990. The CDU is the political heir of the pre-war Center Party, which gained the support of Catholics during the Empire and Weimar periods. When parties were allowed to form during the immediate post-World War II era, CDU officials did not restrict their appeal for votes to Catholics but also wooed conservative and liberal Protestants. In late 1945, ad hoc Christian political groups were formed in many western German cities, especially in Catholic regions. They were rivals to socialists and communists establishing their own parties at the local level. The CDU leaders knew that Allied approval of their nominations to party offices would hinge on the nominees having clean anti-Nazi records.