Heinrich Lübke (October 14, 1892 - April 6, 1972) was Federal President of West Germany from 1959 to 1969. Lübke had a very humble upbringing. He was the son of a shoemaker and farmer from the Sauerland. He was chosen by Konrad Adenauer for the largely ceremonial post of president to ensure that Adenauer's political schemes were not disturbed by too strong a personality in this position (which is nominally the highest post in the German State). October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1892 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... The Federal President (German: Bundespräsident) is Germanys head of state. ... West Germany was the informal but almost universally used name for the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 until 1990, during which years the Federal Republic did not yet include East Germany. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Sauerland is a hill chain in the south-west of North Rhine-Westphalia. ... Konrad Adenauer (January 5, 1876–April 19, 1967) was a German statesman. ...

Lübke was a very bad public speaker and was frequently subject to ridicule, especially near the end of his term of office when his age started to affect his memory. He frequently forgot where he was (Lübke: "When I talk to you today in...eh... in.." Voice from the crowd shouting: "Helmstedt!" Lübke: "...eh...when I talk to you today in ... Helmstedt, then it was following my own will...", etc. etc.). Helmstedt is a town located at the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. ...

According to the most famous anecdote, in 1962 he addressed a crowd in Liberia: "Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Negroes...". This quote has never been verified, however, and is most likely an urban legend (according to the weekly newspaper Die Zeit). Various other slips are well documented, though. The Republic of Liberia is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte dIvoire. ... Urban Legend is also the name of a 1998 movie. ... Die Zeit (pronounced, roughly, dee tSITE) is a German nationwide weekly quality newspaper (literally translated: The Time). ...

Tapes from Lübke's speeches were collected by the German satirical magazine Pardon and distributed on a best-selling record. Some examples (http://www.heinrichluebke.de/) A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it. ...

References

• Die Zeit: Lübke und die Neger (http://www.zeit.de/2002/14/200214_stimmts_luebke_xml) (in German)