According to a German representative opinion poll by Cicero magazine Konrad Adenauer is the most important chancellor after WWII. Willy Brandt is on rank 2, followed by Helmut Schmidt, Helmut Kohl and Ludwig Erhard. Second but last is Gerhard Schroeder, with a 1 percent approval rate. Kurt Georg Kiesinger is on the last spot.
Just wondering: what did Kiesinger do wrong to deserve this humiliating ranking?
After all, Germany's economy was in a decent state at the end of his rein. Germany and America were on good terms.
My heartfelt apoplogies, Kurt Georg.
Just wondering: would you buy a used car from the guy on the right?
(I know, we've shown this pic a zillion times. It's just so ... revealing.)
Well, he was just a dumbass. That's all.
Posted by: | July 27, 2005 at 12:33 PM
It asked who was 'important' and not who was the 'best'. Like him or not, Schröder made some important decisions: first German involvement in a war (Kosovo and then Afghanisan) after WW2, messing up the relation with America, introducing controversial reforms etc.
Can't think of anything really important Kiesinger did. But I'm sure people can help me out here.
Posted by: Phil | July 27, 2005 at 12:38 PM
Kiesinger is simly forgotten. Asked who was the worst chancellor, he again would be at the bottom.
Posted by: marriex | July 27, 2005 at 12:43 PM
kiesinger was a nazi
Posted by: steven | July 27, 2005 at 04:42 PM
Damn I love that pic...and I'm just shy of 5' 6".
Posted by: Jason | July 27, 2005 at 05:00 PM
Maybe because of that?
1933 wurde er Mitglied der NSDAP. Ab 1940 war er unter Ribbentrop im Reichsaußenministerium tätig und stieg dort bis zum stellvertretenden Abteilungsleiter für Propaganda auf (unter anderem war er für die Verbindung zum Reichspropagandaministerium von Joseph Goebbels zuständig)
Posted by: Querdenker | July 27, 2005 at 08:22 PM
re cheaters, would you buy a used car from this sly one here?
http://metropolitans.kaywa.ch/washington/das_mirakel_der_viereckigen_falte.html
Posted by: Duckiputz | July 27, 2005 at 08:34 PM
Kiesinger was the chancellor of the only grand coalition (CDU/SPD) in the history of our current republic.
While most republical politicians tend to scream a lot around and are unable of doing anything important, Kiesinger did without much noise. The achievements of his government were remarkable.
And since in a democracy people only seem to notice blabbermouths... well you can see the results.
Btw:
who cares what he did in the third Reich...
I remember Harald Schmidt saying one day:
"The Rhine must be a real Nazi - you know why? No you dont? He certainly is, since during 1933 and `45, he flowed through german territory!"
:D
Posted by: Zyme | July 27, 2005 at 08:59 PM
Kiesiger wasn't a nazi, that was just a smear campaign. If he had been a nazi, why did Willy Brandt (who was persecuted by the nazis) agree to be his vice-chancellor?
As already said: Kiesinger is simply forgotten. He was chancellor from 1966-1969, for just 3 years. Erhard (also chancellor for only 3 years) is not forgotten because of his long and succesful time as secretary for economy.
Posted by: Rob | July 28, 2005 at 04:43 AM
Kiesinger was a nazi.
If you can accept that morally, then all you have to do is say:
"I dont care if people were Nazis or as long as they make good politics."
End of discussion. He was a nazi and you dont care. No further need to defend yourself or Kiesinger. You made your point and it´s perfectly clear.
Posted by: steven | July 28, 2005 at 07:56 AM
@ steven
I dont care if people were Nazis or as long as they make good politics.
I dont even care at which time the Rhine flowed to germany - am I evil now? ;)
Posted by: Zyme | July 28, 2005 at 09:32 AM
@ Rob
You´ll most likely also tell me that Filbinger was an innocent communist who spent the war times in a KZ? Because that is as likely that K G Kiesinger was not a nazi or. Next you´ll tell us Waldheim got press-ganged into the Reiter-Waffen-SS.
Face it, They were knee-deep in the brown shit. Their indifference and their denial eventually removed them from politics, as details started to seep out.
Posted by: Karsten Winkovics | July 28, 2005 at 03:01 PM