Die Geheimoperation des BND gegen die SPD-Spitze 1953-1962 und die politische Kultur der frühen Bundesrepublik

Chair of the discussion: Pia Heine (Leipzig)

Welcome: Matthias Eisel

Konrad Adenauer shaped an entire era as a highly revered statesman. But previously uncovered historical documents shed new light on the founding chancellor of the Federal Republic. According to these documents, the long-time CDU leader had the SPD party executive committee spied on for almost ten years with the help of a BND spy who transmitted information from the party leadership directly to the chancellor's office. In this way, Konrad Adenauer learned not only valuable domestic and party political information, but also highly confidential internal matters. Klaus-Dietmar Henke, former director of the Hannah Arendt Institute in Dresden, shows in his recently published book "Adenauers Watergate" for the first time to a wider audience to what extent the Chancellor's abuse of power was in conflict with the values of the Basic Law and fair political competition.

Admission is free.

Questions about the event should be directed to the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.