Franz Böhm | |
|---|---|
| Member of theBundestag | |
| In office 6 October 1953 – 17 October 1965 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1895-02-16)16 February 1895 |
| Died | 26 September 1977(1977-09-26) (aged 82) |
| Political party | CDU |
| Occupation | University Professor |
Franz Böhm (16 February 1895 – 26 September 1977) was a Germanpolitician,lawyer, andeconomist.
Franz Böhm was born on 16 February 1895 inKonstanz. He moved along with his family in 1898 toKarlsruhe as his father was appointed the Minister of Cultural Affairs for theGrand Duke of Baden.
After completing hisAbitur and military service, Böhm enlisted in the military at the beginning ofWorld War I. He was the first citizen of Karlsruhe to be awarded theIron Cross. In 1919 Böhn began studying law and political science at theUniversity of Freiburg and completed hisStaatsexamen in 1924, receiving shortly thereafter a job as a publicprosecutor.[1]
Böhm published his first essay entitled "Das Problem der privaten Macht, ein Beitrag zur Monopolfrage" (The problem of private power; a contribution to the question ofmonopolies) in 1928, establishing himself as a prominent economist. In the wake of the publication of this essay, fellow economistsAlexander Rüstow andFriedrich Lutz strongly encouraged Böhm to write a disputation of the economic work ofAdam Smith. Böhm eagerly took up their suggestion and wrote what would become his principal work: "Wettbewerb und Monopolkampf."[2]
After writing these pieces Böhm received a professorship at theUniversity of Freiburg, where he and colleagueWalter Eucken established theFreiburger Schule. During this time Böhm worked closely with Eucken and Hans Grossmann-Doerth in establishing the groundwork for their economic theory,Ordoliberalism.[2][3]
From 1925 to 1931[4] Böhm served in the economic ministry of theWeimar Republic.[5]
The liberal economic beliefs of theFreiburger Schule directly contrasted the economic beliefs of theNazi Regime. Every assembly of theFreiburger Schule was therefore a direct afront to the regime. Public discussions became evermore dangerous, so the school was quickly forced to begin meeting secretly. During this time the assembly began calling itself the "Diehl-Seminar" in recognition of its meeting place, the home ofKarl Diehl.
Böhm had his ability to teach revoked from him by theNazis in 1938 due to his public outspokenness against theanti-Jewish policies of the regime.[4] During the same year, Böhm became active in theFreiburger Konzil, which served as a meeting point for anti-Nazi professors from theuniversity and pastors of theConfessing Church. Böhm became heavily involved throughout the following years in opposition groups such as theBonhoeffer-Krise and theArbeitsgemeinschaft Erwin von Beckerath, a council of liberal economists opposed to Nazi economic practices.[6]
Only through name confusion resulting from a mistake by the Nazis was Böhm able to avoid arrest after the failedJuly 20 plot. This confusion relates to the arrest of theRoman Catholic priestFranz Boehm, who had already been arrested on June 5, 1944 for preaching against theNazi film industry.[7]
After the war Böhm was able to resume teaching in Freiburg and was granted the position ofProrector. In 1946 he accepted a professorship at theUniversity of Freiburg.[8] During his time at the university he worked withWalter Eucken[9] to found the German scholarly journalORDO in 1948, which remains today a mouthpiece of German institutional economists.
During this time Böhm became active in politics, joining theCDU shortly after the war. He served as the minister of cultural affairs inHessen[8] underKarl Geiler from 1 November 1945 until February 1946, when he resigned due to differences of opinion with theAmericanoccupying forces.
Böhm was a member of theGerman Bundestag from 1953 until 1965.[5] During this time he was the leader of the German delegation for thereparations negotiations with Israel.[8]
Throughout his time in the Bundestag Böhm remained deeply connected to theUniversity of Freiburg and his students, continuing to provide seminars despite his role in the Bundestag. His political role remained secondary in importance to his career as an instructor.[10] Böhm died on 26 September 1977 inRockenberg.
The Franz-Böhm Schule, aBerufsschule inFrankfurt am Main, is named in his honor.
