WEST GERMANY: Crown Prince

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"When I am no longer there, I do not know what will happen to Germany," Chancellor Adenauer once said. Yet the sturdy shepherd of postwar Free Germany has long refused to designate a political heir, because to do so suggests his own withdrawal from the scene. Last week, politically beleaguered, the old (80) Chancellor gave in to the pleadings of his Christian Democratic followers and agreed to install a No. 2 man. The heir: For eign Minister Heinrich von Brentano, 52, who will soon be made Vice Chancellor, will also remain in charge of the Foreign Ministry.

The move, when consummated, will put scholarly, competent Heinrich von Bren-tano in a commanding if not certain position to lead the Christian Democratic Party once Adenauer retires or dies. A tense, chain-smoking bachelor of solemn mien, Brentano is the scion of a Frankfurt family that for two centuries has produced philosophers and professors. He is a connoisseur of wines, a lover of highbrow talk, collector of old silver and old furniture. He distrusts political eloquence, is an indifferent orator himself, although a good lawyerlike diplomat and bargainer. Although Brentano is one of the founders of the C.D.U. party in Hesse, he lacks the organized political following that some CDUers have, may never get to be Chancellor if the Christian Democrats fail to heal disunity in their ranks and check the growing appeal of the Social Democrats.

In other maneuvers to check the trouble in his coalition, Chancellor Adenauer last week also decided to drop several ministers, including Defense Minister Theodor Blank, pale, plodding ex-trade-union leader who was under fire for his handling of army recruitment and equipment. Slated for the defense job is Atomic Affairs Minister Franz Josef Strauss, burly Bavarian right-winger who has coveted Blank's job for six years, was leader of the successful fight to cut the West German conscription term from 18 to 12 months. His cur rent goal: tactical atomic weapons for West Germany.