Rudi Arndt | |
|---|---|
 Arndt in 1972 | |
| President of theProgressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats | |
| In office 1984–1989 | |
| Preceded by | Ernest Glinne |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Pierre Cox |
| Member of theEuropean Parliament | |
| In office 1979–1989 | |
| Mayor of Frankfurt | |
| In office 1972–1977 | |
| Preceded by | Walter Möller |
| Succeeded by | Walter Wallmann |
| Finance Minister forHesse | |
| In office December 1970 – April 1972 | |
| Economy and Transport Minister forHesse | |
| In office 1964–1970 | |
| Member of theHesse Landtag | |
| In office 1956–1972 | |
| Member of the Frankfurt City Council | |
| In office 1952–1956 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1927-05-01)1 May 1927 |
| Died | 14 May 2004(2004-05-14) (aged 77) |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party (SPD) |
| Alma mater | Goethe University Frankfurt am Main |
Rudi Arndt (1 March 1927 – 14 May 2004) was a German politician of theSocial Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He served in several positions in theHesse state government, and as theMayor of Frankfurt between 1972 and 1977. At different points in his political career he was a member of theLandtag of Hesse and theEuropean Parliament as well as theFrankfurt City Council.
Arndt came from a family with a tradition of SPD membership. His father,Konrad Arndt, was a trade union secretary, and was imprisoned by the Nazis for a short while. In 1938 the senior Arndt was released from prison, after which he conscripted in the army to avoid persecution from theGestapo. Konrad Arndt died in November 1940 under mysterious circumstances. Although he officially died in a car crash, there is some evidence suggesting he was murdered by the Gestapo.[1]
Rudi Arndt's mother, Anna Babette, was also a social democrat and local politician inFrankfurt. Her sister was murdered by the National Socialists in 1940.
Arndt had an elder brother named Günther. He was expelled from college for making comments critical of the Nazi regime, conscripted into the army and ordered to theEastern Front. He did not return from soviet captivity until 1949.[1]
Arndt married 3 times, and had a son from his first marriage.
On 3 March 1944 Arndt applied for membership of theNazi Party. His application was accepted in April 1944. In the last days of the Nazi regime he was aHitler Youth leader andFlakhelfer.[2]
After completing hisAbitur, Arndt studied law at theGoethe University Frankfurt.[3] In 1952, he passed his first state examination, followed in 1960 by his second state examination. From 1953 he worked as an advisor for youth law and the federal youth plan in the Hesse Ministry of the Interior.
Arndt joined theSDP in 1945. Between 1948 and 1954, he was chairman of theSocialist Youth. In 1952 Arndt became acity councillor inFrankfurt, a position he held until 1956, when he was elected to theLandtag of Hesse. Arndt remained in the Landtag until 1972.
Arndt became the Economy and Transport Minister for Hesse in 1964, after the resignation of his predecessor Wilhelm Conrad.After the resignation ofGeorg August Zinn asMinister President in 1969, Arndt was considered as his successor, but the role ultimately went toAlbert Osswald. In Osswald's new cabinet of 1970, Arndt became the Minister of Finance for Hesse.[4]
On 16 December 1971 Arndt was elected mayor of Frankfurt, following the death of incumbent Walter Möller. He started his term as mayor in 1972. Arndt earned the popular nicknameDynamit-Rudi ("Dynamite Rudi") for his enthusiasm for demolishing the remaining World War II ruins – in particular, his failed campaign to demolish theAlte Oper opera house.[5]
In the local elections of March 1977, theCDU won a landslide victory. As a result, CDU politicianWalter Wallmann became the new Mayor of Frankfurt and Arndt became the opposition leader in the Hessen Landtag.
In his later years, Arndt worked as a lawyer. AfterGerman reunification in 1990, he volunteered for the SPD inThuringia. He died unexpectedly during a river trip near Kyiv in 2004.[6] Arndt is buried in theFrankfurt Main Cemetery.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)European Parliament group:Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats | |||||||||||||||
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