Erich Ollenhauer

Erich Ollenhauer (March 27 1901 – December 14 1963) was the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1952-1963.

Early political career and exile

Ollenhauer joined the SPD in 1920. When the Nazis took power in 1933 he fled Germany for Prague. After the outbreak of WW2 Ollenhauer travelled across Europe in order to avoid Nazi persecution, first finding himself in Denmark, then France, Spain, Portugal, and eventually London, where he remained until the end of the war. In London he kept close ties to the Labour Party, which financially supported the expatriate SPD (so-called SoPaDe), of which Ollenhauer was a member.

Related Topics:
1920 - Nazis - 1933 - Germany - Prague - WW2 - Denmark - France - Spain - Portugal - London - Labour Party

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In February 1946 Ollenhauer returned to Germany. In May the same year he was voted deputy leader of the SPD, behind Kurt Schumacher. Ollenhauer entered the Bundestag after the

Related Topics:
February - 1946 - May - Kurt Schumacher - Bundestag

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1949 German federal elections.

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