Bundestag election 1953

The 1953 federal election took place on September 6, 1953. In the election for the 2nd German Bundestag , the parties represented in the 1st Bundestag and many of the Bundestag members stood for re- election for the first time, including the CDU member and Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer , who has been with his cabinet Adenauer I (coalition of CDU / CSU , FDP and DP) had ruled.

backgrounds

Election poster of the CDU with the slogan " All roads of Marxism lead to Moscow "

Erich Ollenhauer ran for the first time as the SPD's candidate for chancellor . After the death of Kurt Schumacher in August 1952, he became party and parliamentary group chairman. The SPD received 28.8 percent of the votes cast (after 29.2% in 1949).

The turnout was 86.0%.

The Union parties received 45.2 percent of the votes cast (after 31.0 percent in 1949) and now formed the clearly strongest parliamentary group .

Adenauer only needed one coalition partner for a majority of the seats. Nevertheless, he continued the coalition with the FDP and DP that had been in office since 1949 and expanded it to include the BHE. This gave the government a two-thirds majority.

In contrast to the 1949 federal election , in which it was sufficient to get 5% of the votes in a single federal state, the five percent hurdle now applied nationwide. According to the basic mandate clause , as applied in 1953, a party had to win at least one constituency directly in order not to be subject to the five percent clause. Since the Bundestag election in 1957 , the number of constituencies to be won has been three.

The second vote was introduced for the 1953 Bundestag election ( Federal Election Act of June 25, 1953).

According to the Berlin Document Center, 129 of the 487 MPs were former members of the NSDAP .

Official end result

Result of the federal election on September 6, 1953
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats¹	±	Direct mandates	Overhang mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats¹	±	Direct mandates	Overhang mandates
Eligible voters	33.120.940	100.0	33.120.940	100.0
Voters	28,479,550	86.0	28,479,550	86.0
Invalid	959.790	3.4	928.278	3.3
Valid	27,519,760	100.0	27,551,272	100.0	487 (22)	+ 85	242	3
from that:
Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU)	9,577,659	34.8	10,016,594	36.4	191 (6)	+ 76	130	2
Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)	8,131,257	29.5	7,944,943	28.8	151 (11)	+ 20	45	-
Free Democratic Party (FDP)	2,967,566	10.8	2,629,163	9.5	48 (5)	- 4th	14th	-
Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU)	2,450,286	8.9	2,427,387	8.8	52	+ 28	42	-
All-German block / Federation of expellees and disenfranchised (GB / BHE)	1,613,215	5.9	1,616,953	5.9	27	+ 15²	-	-
Bavarian Party (BP)	399.070	1.5	465,641	1.7	-	- 17th	-	-
German Party (DP)	1,073,031	3.9	896.128	3.3	15th	- 2nd	10	1
German Reich Party (DRP)	204.725	0.7	295,739	1.1	-	- 5th	-	-
German Center Party (Center)	55,835	0.2	217.078	0.8	3	- 7th	1	-
All-German People's Party (GVP)	286,465	1.0	318,475	1.2	-	-	-	-
Communist Party of Germany (KPD)	611.317	2.2	607.860	2.2	-	- 15	-	-
Umbrella organization of the National Collection (DNS)	78,356	0.3	70,726	0.3	-	-	-	-
South Schleswig Association of Voters (SSW)	44,339	0.2	44,585	0.2	-	- 1	-	-
Party of Good Germans (PdgD)	654	0.0	-	-	-	-	-	-
Schleswig-Holstein State Party (SHLP)	6,269	0.0	-	-	-	-	-	-
Patriotic Union (VU)	2,531	0.0	-	-	-	-	-	-
Groups of voters / individual applicants	17.185	0.1	-	-	-	- 3	-	-

¹ in brackets: number of Berlin Bundestag
members elected on the same day by the Berlin House of Representatives who do not have full voting rights ² 12 members of the WAV

Results in the federal states

Result of the 1953 federal election in Baden-Württemberg
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates
Eligible voters	4,536,755	100.0	4,536,755	100.0
Voters	3,710,253	81.8	3,710,253	81.8
Invalid	109.125	2.9	122.122	3.3
Valid	3,601,128	100.0	3,588,131	100.0	67	33
from that:
CDU	1,839,014	51.1	1,881,874	52.4	38	29
SPD	843.299	23.4	825.704	23.0	16	2
FDP	502.041	13.9	455,535	12.7	9	2
GB / BHE	193.207	5.4	193,532	5.4	3	-
DP	42,859	1.2	56,268	1.6	1	-
DRP	2,222	0.1	-	-	-	-
GVP	45,892	1.3	55,616	1.5	-	-
KPD	82,673	2.3	81,635	2.3	-	-
DNS	34,140	0.9	37,967	1.1	-	-
Individual applicants	15,781	0.4	-	-	-	-

Result of the 1953 federal election in Bavaria
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates
Eligible voters	6,134,820	100.0	6,134,820	100.0
Voters	5,263,817	85.8	5,263,817	85.8
Invalid	190.172	3.6	190.261	3.6
Valid	5,073,645	100.0	5,073,556	100.0	91	47
from that:
CSU	2,450,286	48.3	2,427,387	47.8	52	42
SPD	1,214,391	23.9	1,184,262	23.3	25th	3
FDP	369,442	7.3	315.494	6.2	6th	2
GB / BHE	416.016	8.2	417.953	8.2	8th	-
BP	399.070	7.9	465,641	9.2	-	-
DP	33,359	0.7	43,431	0.9	-	-
DRP	42,968	0.8	78.162	1.5	-	-
GVP	29,405	0.6	31,659	0.6	-	-
KPD	83,600	1.6	81,542	1.6	-	-
DNS	31,173	0.6	28,025	0.6	-	-
VU	2,531	0.0	-	-	-	-
Individual applicants	1,404	0.0	-	-	-	-

Result of the federal election in Bremen in 1953
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates
Eligible voters	420,958	100.0	420,958	100.0
Voters	367.920	87.4	367.920	87.4
Invalid	8,088	2.2	11,720	3.2
Valid	359.832	100.0	356.200	100.0	6th	3
from that:
CDU	85,669	23.8	88,456	24.8	2	-
SPD	141,596	39.4	138,846	39.0	3	3
FDP	28,169	7.8	26,777	7.5	-	-
GB / BHE	11,317	3.1	11,604	3.3	-	-
DP	63.993	17.8	60,464	17.0	1	-
DRP	10.179	2.8	10,552	3.0	-	-
GVP	4,917	1.4	5,616	1.6	-	-
KPD	13,992	3.9	13,885	3.9	-	-

Result of the Bundestag election in Hamburg in 1953
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates	Overhang mandate
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates	Overhang mandate
Eligible voters	1,241,880	100.0	1,241,880	100.0
Voters	1,085,279	87.4	1,085,279	87.4
Invalid	37,601	3.5	25,296	2.3
Valid	1,047,678	100.0	1,059,983	100.0	18th	8th	1
from that:
CDU	215.376	20.6	389.335	36.7	7th	3	-
SPD	416.865	39.8	403.410	38.1	7th	1	-
FDP	186,694	17.8	108,722	10.3	2	2	-
GB / BHE	31,348	3.0	26,133	2.5	-	-	-
DP	120,958	11.5	62.123	5.9	2	2	1
DRP	22,169	2.1	17.101	1.6	-	-	-
GVP	13,160	1.3	12,881	1.2	-	-	-
KPD	41,108	3.9	40,278	3.8	-	-	-

Result of the federal election in Hesse in 1953
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates
Eligible voters	3,081,783	100.0	3,081,783	100.0
Voters	2,672,103	86.7	2,672,103	86.7
Invalid	94,570	3.5	115.151	4.3
Valid	2,577,533	100.0	2,556,952	100.0	44	22nd
from that:
CDU	760.423	29.5	849.125	33.2	15th	7th
SPD	889.040	34.5	862.701	33.7	16	10
FDP	610,534	23.7	502,548	19.7	9	5
GB / BHE	153,882	6.0	163,499	6.4	3	-
DP	55.223	2.1	70,704	2.8	1	-
DRP	4,257	0.2	-	-	-	-
GVP	39,949	1.5	44,438	1.7	-	-
KPD	64,130	2.5	63,937	2.5	-	-
DNS	95	0.0	-	-	-	-

Result of the federal elections in Lower Saxony in 1953
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates
Eligible voters	4,388,818	100.0	4,388,818	100.0
Voters	3,894,742	88.7	3,894,742	88.7
Invalid	145,707	3.7	114.146	2.9
Valid	3,749,035	100.0	3,780,596	100.0	66	34
from that:
CDU	1,049,883	28.0	1,330,982	35.2	25th	13
SPD	1,162,311	31.0	1,136,522	30.1	21st	11
FDP	308,663	8.2	260,894	6.9	5	2
GB / BHE	432,646	11.5	406.971	10.8	7th	-
DP	619.275	16.5	449.203	11.9	8th	8th
DRP	112.037	3.0	132.057	3.5	-	-
GVP	23,544	0.6	23,876	0.6	-	-
KPD	40,315	1.1	40.091	1.1	-	-
DNS	361	0.0	-	-	-	-

Result of the Federal Parliament election 1953 in North Rhine-Westphalia
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates
Eligible voters	9,599,109	100.0	9,599,109	100.0
Voters	8,250,961	86.0	8,250,961	86.0
Invalid	256.275	3.1	242,532	2.9
Valid	7,994,686	100.0	8.008.429	100.0	138	66
from that:
CDU	4,034,990	50.5	3,915,320	48.9	72	51
SPD	2,609,048	32.6	2,553,014	31.9	47	13
FDP	683.465	8.5	682.902	8.5	12	1
GB / BHE	203.203	2.5	213,951	2.7	3	-
DP	69,067	0.9	80.034	1.0	1	-
DRP	5,000	0.1	-	-	-	-
center	55,835	0.7	217.078	2.7	3	1
GVP	105.099	1.3	117,538	1.5	-	-
KPD	227,366	2.8	228,592	2.9	-	-
DNS	1,613	0.0	-	-	-	-

Result of the Federal Parliament election 1953 in Rhineland-Palatinate
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates
Eligible voters	2,143,337	100.0	2,143,337	100.0
Voters	1,842,707	86.0	1,842,707	86.0
Invalid	80,662	4.4	67,344	3.7
Valid	1,762,045	100.0	1,775,363	100.0	31	15th
from that:
CDU	925.829	52.5	924.932	52.1	18th	13
SPD	493,443	28.0	482,686	27.2	9	2
FDP	226,874	12.9	214,805	12.1	4th	-
GB / BHE	25,744	1.5	26,210	1.5	-	-
DP	22,938	1.3	19,731	1.1	-	-
DRP	-	-	45,073	2.5	-	-
GVP	19,077	1.1	20,836	1.2	-	-
KPD	41,723	2.4	41,090	2.3	-	-
DNS	5,763	0.3	-	-	-	-
PdgD	654	0.0	-	-	-	-

Result of the Federal Parliament election 1953 in Schleswig-Holstein
Subject of evidence	First votes		Second votes		Seats	Direct mandates	Overhang mandates
Subject of evidence	number	%	number	%	Seats	Direct mandates	Overhang mandates
Eligible voters	1,573,480	100.0	1,573,480	100.0
Voters	1,391,768	88.5	1,391,768	88.5
Invalid	37,590	2.7	39,706	2.9
Valid	1,354,178	100.0	1,352,062	100.0	26th	14th	2
from that:
CDU	666.475	49.2	636.570	47.1	14th	14th	2
SPD	361.264	26.7	357,798	26.5	7th	-	-
FDP	51,684	3.8	61,486	4.5	1	-	-
GB / BHE	145.852	10.8	157,100	11.6	3	-	-
DP	45,359	3.3	54,170	4.0	1	-	-
DRP	5,893	0.4	12,794	0.9	-	-	-
GVP	5,422	0.4	6.015	0.4	-	-	-
KPD	16,410	1.2	16,810	1.2	-	-	-
DNS	5,211	0.4	4,734	0.4	-	-	-
SSW	44,339	3.3	44,585	3.3	-	-	-
SHLP	6,269	0.5	-	-	-	-	-

First majority in the constituencies:

SPD

CDU / CSU

FDP

DP

center

Smaller parties

Among the remaining parties that won seats were the GB / BHE, which moved into the Bundestag with 5.9% and 27 members of parliamentary groups, and the German Party (DP), which received 3.3% of the votes and up Reason for winning ten constituencies through the basic mandate clause with 15 members of the Bundestag.

The remaining three MPs moved into the Bundestag for the Center Party . Although the party received only 0.8% of the votes, but could with its candidate John Brockmann the constituency Oberhausen gain direct and therefore moved with list candidates in the Bundestag. One of the members of the list was the CDU member Martin Heix from Oberhausen, who had renounced a candidacy in his constituency in favor of the center and, in return, was elected via the center's state list. He also rejoined the CDU / CSU parliamentary group directly .

All other candidate parties failed because of the threshold clause.

literature

Mathias Friedel: The Federal Parliament election 1953 . In: Nikolaus Jackob (ed.): Election campaigns in Germany. Campaign Communication Case Studies 1912-2005 . VS Verlag, Wiesbaden 2007, ISBN 978-3-531-15161-8 , pp. 112-136.
The Adenauer suction . In: Der Spiegel . No. 38 , 1953, pp. 10 ( online ).

Web links

Commons : 1953 Germany Bundestag election - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Results of the election to the 2nd German Bundestag on September 6, 1953 at the Federal Statistical Office
Map of the results by constituency

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Election to the 2nd German Bundestag on September 6, 1953 ( Memento of March 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) The Federal Returning Officer
^ Election to the 1st German Bundestag on August 14, 1949 ( Memento from May 6, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) The Federal Returning Officer
↑ Your third worst election result in federal elections to date (2013): the worst was 2009 (23.0%), the second worst in 2013 , the fourth worst in 1949
↑ Sven Felix Kellerhoff: When Konrad Adenauer won a landslide . Welt Online , September 4, 2013
^ Election law for the second Bundestag and the Federal Assembly. In: Federal Law Gazette, year 1953, part 1. Retrieved on October 22, 2017 . (PDF)
^ CIA Information Act - Reinhard Gehlen: Former NAZI and SS membership in ZIPPER. (PDF; 1.7 MB) Central Intelligence Agency , October 15, 2004, p. 12 , accessed on March 27, 2010 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Result of the election to the 2nd German Bundestag on September 6, 1953 by country ( Memento of July 28, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (XLS; 34 kB)
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Seats of the parties on September 6, 1953 by country ( Memento of July 28, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (XLS; 22 kB)

[Wahl_1953-1] Election to the 2nd German Bundestag on September 6, 1953 ( Memento of March 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) The Federal Returning Officer

[Wahl_1949-2] Election to the 1st German Bundestag on August 14, 1949 ( Memento from May 6, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) The Federal Returning Officer

[3] Your third worst election result in federal elections to date (2013): the worst was 2009 (23.0%), the second worst in 2013 , the fourth worst in 1949

[4] Sven Felix Kellerhoff: When Konrad Adenauer won a landslide . Welt Online , September 4, 2013

[5] Election law for the second Bundestag and the Federal Assembly. In: Federal Law Gazette, year 1953, part 1. Retrieved on October 22, 2017 . (PDF)

[6] CIA Information Act - Reinhard Gehlen: Former NAZI and SS membership in ZIPPER. (PDF; 1.7 MB) Central Intelligence Agency , October 15, 2004, p. 12 , accessed on March 27, 2010 .

[Länder-7] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Result of the election to the 2nd German Bundestag on September 6, 1953 by country ( Memento of July 28, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (XLS; 34 kB)

[Sitze-8] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Seats of the parties on September 6, 1953 by country ( Memento of July 28, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (XLS; 22 kB)