1.
CU SIGN "ACKERBERG"
0.03

2.
SV ONLOOKERS AT ERHARD'S HOUSE
0.06

3.
LV ERHARD WALKS ACROSS HIS GROUNDS (4 SHOTS)
0.27

4.
LV ERHARD WITH DR HOHMANN IN GARDEN (3 SHOTS)
0.36

5.
CU BOOKS (3 SHOTS) PAN TO ERHARD AT DESK (4 SHOTS)
1.01

6.
GV TEGERNSEE AS FROM ERHARD'S STUDY
1.05

7.
SV ERHARD WITH FAMILY
1.08

8.
CU MRS ERHARD
1.11

9.
CU ERHARD
1.15

10.
CU VARIOUS MEMBERS OF FAMILY (2 SHOTS)
1.18

11.
SV ERHARD LISTENS TO MUSIC (3 SHOTS)
1.26



Initials RE/S/WH/ES


FOR SCHEDULED NEWS PROGRAMMES ONLY. NOT FOR USE IN GERMANY.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: NEXT WEEK THE 66-YEAR-OLD CHANCELLOR LUDWIG ERHARD TAKES OVER LEADERSHIP OF WEST GERMANY FROM KONRAD ADENAUER.HIS FACE IS ALMOST AS WELL KNOWN TO THE GERMANS AS HIS PREDECESSOR.

PHYSICALLY HE HAS CHERUBIC FEATURES AND TIPS THE SCALES AT 220 POUNDS.HIS CIGAR SMOKING IS ALMOST AS FAMOUS AS CHURCHILL'S.

ERHARD AS ECONOMICS MINISTER HAS BEEN THE ARCHITECT OF WEST GERMANY'S PRESENT-DAY PROSPERITY.HE FIRST OCCUPIED THIS POST BACK IN 1948 IN HIS NATIVE BAVARIA WHEN HIS PEOPLE EXISTED ON A NEAR-STARVATION DIET.TODAY WEST GERMANY IS THE WORLD'S THIRD LARGEST TRADING NATION (AFTER THE U.S.AND BRITAIN) AND THE SECOND LARGEST INDUSTRIAL PRODUCER.ITS EXPORTS HAVE SOARED TO 700 PER CENT SINCE 1950.

FOR THIS ERHARD GETS MUCH OF THE CREDIT.HE WAS BORN THE SON OF AN OBSCURE TEXTILE MERCHANT AND SURVIVED THE FIRST WORLD WAR WITH INJURIES WHICH LEFT HIM WITH A PERMANENT LIMP AND ONE ARM SHORTER THAN THE OTHER.

BETWEEN THE WARS HE WAS TO STUDY ECONOMICS AND IN 1945 EMERGED FREE OF THE NAZI TAINT.HIS ECONOMIC THEORY IS SIMPLE: GREATER PRODUCTION THROUGH GREATER INCENTIVES.AND HE BELIEVES IN A FREE MARKET...AND HAS SET HIS FACE AGAINST THE SO-CALLED "PLANNED ECONOMY".

ADENAUER IS KNOWN TO HAVE OPPOSED ERHARD'S SUCCESSION TO THE LEADERSHIP, BUT WAS OVERRULED BY HIS PARTY.IN 1959 HE COMMENTED: "HERR ERHARD IS NO MORE CAPABLE OF BECOMING CHANCELLOR THAN I AM OF BECOMING A PAINTER IN OILS." HE CONSIDERS HIM AN ECONOMIST, NOT A POLITICIAN.