First President Of New German Republic

Chronicle (Levin), 14 September 1949, Page 5

First President Of New German Republic

BERLIN, Sept. 12. Professor Theodor Heuss, 67, whitehaired leader of the Free Democrats (Liberals), whose books were burned bv Hitler, wa? tonight elected the first President of the new West German Federal Republic at Bonn. He received 416 of a possible S00 votes on the second ballot, after the first ballot had proved inconclusive. The other two candidates, the onearmed and one-legged Social Denioera? (Dr. Sehumaeher) and the Centre Party's (Herr Rudolph Amelunxen) got 312 and 30 votes respeetively. Quiet hnmoured. with a lean face, Professor Heuss is an eminent author and journalist. He has led the presidential field ever since Dr. Konrad | Auenauer, the Phancellor-Designate urged his Christian Democrat Partv to ^ cement the planned Right W iug coali- . tion by supporting Professor Heuss forJ the Presidencv. The only smudge Professor Heuss 's bitterest critics have been able to timi on his record is that, as a Liberal Democrat member of tlie Reichstag .in 1933, he voted for the Aet" which brought Hitler to power. He was later lnterrogaree by the Gestapo, but was nevei arre->.ed. After takmg the oatn today President Heuss pledged himself to vvorlc for world peace and for a United Germany, His immediate aims are: First, an early withdrawal of the oecupation troops from all Zones, including the j Russian; secondly, Germany 's ailmit- _ tam-.e to the Kuropean Couneil; and thirdlv, closer relations vvith Franee.