"The Elon" is the Führer on Mars in an old timey Nazi book? Man, reality sure is strange sometimes.
The Martian government was directed by ten men, the leader of whom was elected by universal suffrage for five years and entitled “Elan.”
Two houses of Parliament enacted the laws to be administered by the Elon and his cabinet.
The Upper House was called the Council of the Elders and was limited to a membership of 60 persons, each being appointed for life by the Elon as vacancies occurred by death.
In principle, the method was not unlike that by which the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church is appointed.
Usually the Elon chose historians, churchmen, former cabinet members or successful economic leaders who could offer lifetimes of valuable experience.
ADDENDUM:
It's Elon !! The first appearance as "Elan" was an OCR glitch:-
Lifetime appointments are a bad idea, for lords, judges, or politicians.
I don't know if this is what von Braun was thinking, maybe he just made it up, but I think it's not completely out of left field.