Richard von Weizsäcker
Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker File:Loudspeaker.png listen (info • help) (15 April 1920 – 31 January 2015) was a German politician who was a member of the Christian Democratic Union party. He was the president of Germany from 1984 to 1994.
Richard von Weizsäcker | |
|---|---|
 Weizsäcker in 1984 | |
| 10th President of Germany 6th President of the Federal Republic of Germany | |
| In office 1 July 1984 – 30 June 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Karl Carstens |
| Succeeded by | Roman Herzog |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 April 1920 Stuttgart, Germany |
| Died | 31 January 2015 (aged 94) Berlin, Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Political party | CDU |
| Spouse(s) | Marianne Freifrau von Weizsäcker |
Backgrounds
He was born in Stuttgart, the son of the diplomat Ernst von Weizsäcker and brother of the physicist and philosopher Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker. His grandfather Carl von Weizsäcker had been Minister President of Württemberg.
During World War II. he served in the German Army. He was wounded in East Prussia in 1945 and was sent home to Stuttgart. Then, he continued his study of history in Göttingen and eventually studied law.
As a law student, he was a member of his father's defence team at the Eleventh secondary Nuremburg Trial, also called the Ministries Trial. He took his first judicial state exam in 1950 and the second in 1953, and in 1955, he was promoted to doctor juris. In 1953 he married Marianne von Kretschmann; they had four children.
From 1967 to 1984, he was a member both of the Synod and the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany. He led the German Evangelical Church Assembly from 1964 to 1970.[1]
Political career
Richard von Weizsäcker joined the Christian Democratic Union in 1954 and was a member of the Bundestag, the lower chamber of the German Parliament, from 1969 to 1981.
He was elected vice president of the Bundestag 1979-1981 but did not stand for re-election because he became the Governing Mayor (German: [Regierender Bürgermeister] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) of West Berlin (1981-1984).
He was elected President of Germany by the Bundesversammlung (Federal Convention) in 1984, succeeding Karl Carstens. He was Germany’s first president after its reunification.[2]
After his presidency, he was involved in politics and charitable affairs. He was the chair of a commission installed by the SPD-Bündnis 90/Die Grünen government to reform the Bundeswehr, the German military.
He has served on many international commissions. He was the chairman of the Independent Working Group on the future of the United Nations and was one of three 'Wise Men' tyo be appointed by European Commission President Romano Prodi to consider the future of the European Union.
Retirement and death
He retired in 1994 and lived in Berlin. He wrote books during his retirement.
Books
He wrote many books, including the following:
- Von Deutschland aus
- Die deutsche Geschichte geht weiter
- Von Deutschland nach Europa
- Vier Zeiten
His autobiograghy is called From Weimar to the Wall: My Life in German Politics (1999).
Richard Von Weizsäcker Media
- Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F038037-0024, Wiesbaden, CDU-Parteitag, von Weizsäcker.jpg
Weizsäcker addressing a CDU party convention in 1972
- President Ronald Reagan waves and stands with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and Berlin Mayor Richard von Weizsacker.jpg
Richard von Weizsäcker (left) as Mayor of West Berlin, with US President Ronald Reagan, (center) and West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt (right) at Checkpoint Charlie in 1982
- Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1990-1003-030, Berlin, Staatsakt zum Tag der deutschen Einheit.jpg
Weizsäcker delivering a speech during the act of state for the Reunification of Germany on 3 October 1990 at Berliner Philharmonie
Richard von Weizsäcker and his wife visiting Jordan in 1985
Richard von Weizsäcker in 2009
Weizsäcker's grave at Waldfriedhof Dahlem
Von Weizsäcker (center) and Kohl (right) during a CDU press conference in June 1975
- Von weizsäcker.jpg
Richard von Weizsäcker at a Transparency International event in November 2013
References
- ↑ Richard von Weizsäcker. Eine Biographie. Hermann Rudolph. 2010, page 98. Berlin: Rowohlt. ISBN 978-3-87134-667-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Richard von Weizsäcker, 94, Germany's First President After Reunification, Is Dead". The New York Times.com. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
Other websites
Media related to Richard von Weizsäcker at Wikimedia Commons