1949 German Federal Election

Founding Bundestag election

14 August 1949 · The Bonn Republic · 402 seats, 202 for a majority

A federal election was held in West Germany on 14 August 1949 to elect the members of the first Bundestag, with a further eight seats elected in West Berlin between 1949 and January 1952 and another eleven between February 1952 and 1953. They were the first free federal elections in West Germany since 1933 and the first after the division of the country.

Chancellor before

—

Chancellor (continued)

Konrad Adenauer

CDU

Largest force

CDU/CSU

139 of 402 seats

Turnout

78.5%

The result

Sort by

CDU/CSU

Konrad Adenauer · 31.0% of votes

139

seats

SPD

Kurt Schumacher · 29.2% of votes

131

seats

Social Democratic Party

29.2% of votes · +35 seats

seats

Christian Democratic Union

25.2% of votes · +24 seats

seats

Christian Social Union

5.8% of votes · 0 seats

seats

Heinrich Hellwege · 4.0% of votes

seats

KPD

Max Reimann · 5.7% of votes

seats

Free Democratic Party

Franz Blücher · 11.9% of votes · +40 seats

seats

Bavaria Party

Joseph Baumgartner · 4.2% of votes · +6 seats

seats

German Party

4.0% of votes · +12 seats

seats

Independents

4.8% of votes · 0 seats

seats


CDU/CSU	Konrad Adenauer	139	—	7.359.084	31.0%	—
SPD	Kurt Schumacher	131	—	6.934.975	29.2%	—
Social Democratic Party	—	96	+35	6.934.975	29.2%	—
Christian Democratic Union	—	91	+24	5.978.636	25.2%	—
Christian Social Union	—	24	0	1.380.448	5.8%	—
DP	Heinrich Hellwege	17	—	939.934	4.0%	—
KPD	Max Reimann	15	—	1.361.706	5.7%	—
Free Democratic Party	Franz Blücher	12	+40	2.829.920	11.9%	—
Bavaria Party	Joseph Baumgartner	11	+6	986.478	4.2%	—
German Party	—	5	+12	939.934	4.0%	—
Independents	—	3	0	1.141.647	4.8%	—