Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was born on 5 January 1876 in Cologne, Rhenish Prussia, as the third of five children. His father, Johann Konrad Adenauer, and mother, Helene, influenced his early life, particularly during the Kulturkampf, which fostered his aversion to Prussianism. Adenauer pursued law and politics at various universities, graduating in 1900, and worked as a lawyer in Cologne for four years. He joined the Centre Party in 1906 and quickly rose in local politics, becoming Vice-Mayor in 1909 and Mayor in 1917, a position he held until 1933.During his tenure as Mayor, Adenauer managed the city's resources during World War I and maintained order amid political upheaval. He advocated for the dissolution of Prussia and the establishment of an autonomous Rhineland state, but his proposals were rejected. After the Nazis came to power in 1933, Adenauer was dismissed as Mayor, imprisoned briefly, and lived in seclusion until the end of World War II.Post-war, Adenauer settled in Rhöndorf and was briefly reinstated as Mayor before being dismissed again. He then focused on forming the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 1945, aiming to unite Catholics and Protestants. His leadership in the CDU led to his election as the first Chancellor of West Germany in 1949, a position he held until 1963. Adenauer's government prioritized economic recovery, establishing close ties with Western nations and rejecting the legitimacy of East Germany.He was a staunch anti-communist and supported West Germany's integration into NATO. Adenauer oversaw the rearmament of West Germany and the establishment of the Bundeswehr. He also played a significant role in European integration, signing the Treaty of Rome in 1957, which established the European Economic Community.Adenauer's policies included ending the denazification process, advocating for amnesty for former Nazis, and negotiating reparations for Holocaust victims. His government faced criticism for its handling of the Oder–Neisse line and for rejecting the Stalin Note, which proposed German reunification. Adenauer's administration was marked by the Wirtschaftswunder, a period of economic prosperity, and significant social reforms, including housing and pension rights.In foreign policy, Adenauer maintained a strong alignment with the United States and France, fostering a Franco-German partnership. His later years in office were characterized by challenges, including the construction of the Berlin Wall and tensions with the United States under President John F. Kennedy. Adenauer resigned in 1963, passing leadership to Ludwig Erhard while remaining influential in the CDU until his retirement in 1966.Adenauer died on 19 April 1967, leaving a legacy as a key architect of modern Germany and a proponent of European unity. His contributions to post-war recovery and democratic governance are widely recognized, and he is often regarded as one of the founding fathers of the European Union.