Konrad Adenauer hesitated for a long time to resign as chancellor but was forced to do so by the Spiegel Affair. His final years in office were marked by the ultimately failed attempt to prevent Ludwig Erhard from becoming his successor. After Adenauer’s popularity among the population had waned considerably, he resigned on October 16, 1963. In this photo, the 87-year-old is shown leaving the Chancellery for the last time after fourteen years as head of government. Photo by Hilmar Pabel.