Willy Brant: Chancellor of West Germany from 1969 to 1974 (in 1980) Willy Brandt (18 December 1913 – 8 October 1992) was aGerman chancellor from 1969 until 1974. He was bornHerbert Ernst Karl Frahm inLübeck , Germany. He was the leader of theSocial Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987 and winner of theNobel Peace Prize (1971). He died on 8 October 1992 inUnkel on theRhine .
He was born as son of Martha Frahm and John Möller in 1913 in Lübeck. He never met his father and grew up with his mother and his grandfather.
He fled toNorway when theNazis took over government in Germany. He led a contact office for theresistance against the Naziregime . After he lost his German citizenship, he becameNorwegian . The Germans arrested him when they occupied Norway. He fled toSweden . In 1945, Brandt returned to Germany as writer forScandinavian newspapers .
He was married three times:
Carlotta Thorkildsen - 1940 to 1948 Rut (Hansen) Bergaust - 1948 to 1980 Ruth Seebacher - 1983 to 1992 His political career started in 1948. He became arepresentative for the SPD in theBundestag for a district ofBerlin . He was member of thestate parliament of Berlin from 1950 until 1971.
He became president of theParliament of Berlin (1955) andMayor of Berlin (1957). Willy Brandt started tocampaign for the position as Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) for theSocial Democrats (SPD) in 1961. In 1966, he became Vice-Chancellor of the "Grand Coalition" of SPD and theChristian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) under ChancellorKurt Georg Kiesinger . He started thesocial-liberal coalition between theSPD and theFree Democratic Party of Germany (FDP) . Willy Brandt became Chancellor in 1969.
He made many changes in severalpolitical areas. For example:
Societal policies The right to vote at the age of 18 was introduced.[ 1] Efforts to remove the inferior status of women were made.[ 2] More rights at work for employees were granted through a new Works Constitution Act.[ 3] A modernization of the criminal law was carried out. The criminal law was also made more humane.[ 4] Laws against homosexuality were relaxed.[ 5] Environmental protection laws were introduced.[ 6] Censorship was relaxed.[ 7]
Educational policies Fees were eliminated while new higher education institutions were established.[ 8] The number of scholarships was increased.[ 9] An Educational Support Law was introduced in 1971 that provided grants to students from lower income groups.[ 10] The school leaving age was raised to 16. This allowed for 10 years of compulsory schooling.[ 11]
Housing policies New housing legislation was introduced that improved protection for tenants and procedures for rent control.[ 12] A new Housing Benefit was introduced, aimed at providing better economic security for low-income tenants.[ 13] A long-term housebuilding programme was launched in 1971.[ 14]
Health and welfare policies The costs of preventive measures were added to the obligations of sickness funds.[ 15] An expansion of social assistance was carried out.[ 16] Legislation on hospital building, according to one study, “established a new system of joint funding of capital programmes according to explicit planning criteria.”[ 17] A Pension Reform Act was introduced in 1972 which, according to one study, “made the rights to a pension less dependent on past financial contributions.”[ 18] A flexible retirement age as introduced.[ 19] Dynamic state pensions for war victims were introduced.[ 20] Low pensions were improved through “the employment of a notional minimum wage in the calculation procedure” according to one study.[ 21] The retirement age was reduced to 63 in 1973.[ 22] Health and Accident Insurance was made more effective.[ 23] More people became entitled to child benefit.[ 24] Unemployment and family allowances were increased.[ 25]
Agricultural policies Various forms of assistance were provided to farmers. These included soft loans, high-quality seeds, financial grants and subsidies.[ 26] Old age assistance for farmers was improved.[ 27] Water management and cultural building measures for peasants were strengthened.[ 28] Health insurance for farmers was introduced.[ 29] Sewage treatment measures were adopted to protect plantings.[ 30] Agricultural information and advice was increased.[ 31]
Military policies The position of non-commissioned officers was improved.[ 32] Volunteers were attracted through measures such as improving barracks life.[ 33] Measures were carried out to provide officers with an academic education.[ 34] Conscription was reduced to 18 months.[ 35]
Foreign policies The New Eastern Politics of Western Germany. He travelled toEast Germany ,Warsaw andMoscow to improve relationships. His acceptance theOder-Neisse Line and many ofcontroversies in the Parliament and society followed.
In 1971, he got the Nobel Peace Prize for his politics.
In 1972,Rainer Barzel of the CDU believed he could end the Brandt administration, but he failed to win the vote of no-confidence. Brandt was re-elected to a second term later that year. In 1974,Günther Guillaume who worked in Brandt's office was discovered to be a spy. Brandt resigned andHelmut Schmidt became chancellor.
Brandt stayed leader of the SPD, and later of theSocialist International too. He was member of theEuropean Parliament from 1978 to 1983. He gave up the position as chief of the SPD in 1987. Willy Brandt died ofcolon cancer at his home inUnkel , a town on theRiver Rhine , on 8 October 1992, at the age of 78.[ 36] state funeral and was buried at the cemetery atZehlendorf in Berlin.[ 37]
↑ The Man Who Built the Berlin WallThe Rise and Fall of Erich Honecker By Nathan Morley, 2023, P.112 ↑ Germany Since 1815: A Nation Forged and Renewed by David G. Williamson ↑ DER SPIEGEL 16/1972 »Anders als zu Kaisers und zu Katzers Zeiten«, 09.04.1972 ↑ Germany Since 1815: A Nation Forged and Renewed by David G. Williamson ↑ Germany Since 1815: A Nation Forged and Renewed by David G. Williamson ↑ The Man Who Built the Berlin Wall The Rise and Fall of Erich Honecker By Nathan Morley, 2023, P.112 ↑ Germany Since 1815: A Nation Forged and Renewed by David G. Williamson ↑ Socialists in the Recession: The Search for Solidarity by Radice, Giles; Radice, Lisanne, P.18 ↑ The Velvet Chancellors: A History of Post-war Germany by Terence Prittie, P.184 ↑ Germany Since 1815: A Nation Forged and Renewed by David G. Williamson ↑ The Velvet Chancellors: A History of Post-war Germany by Terence Prittie, P.184 ↑ The Federal Republic of Germany: The End of an Era edited by Ewa Kolinsky, P.229 ↑ DeutscherBundestag 151. Sitzung Bonn, Donnerstag, den 11. November 1971, P.8699 ↑ Verhandlungen des Deutschen Bundestages Stenographische Berichte · Volume 212 By Germany (West). Bundestag · 1975, P.1391 ↑ The Federal Republic of Germany: The End of an Era edited by Ewa Kolinsky, P.229 ↑ Politics of Segmentation: Party Competition and Social Protection in Europe By Georg Picot, P.58 ↑ The Federal Republic of Germany: The End of an Era edited by Ewa Kolinsky, P.229 ↑ Germany Since 1815: A Nation Forged and Renewed by David G. Williamson ↑ The Federal Republic of Germany: The End of an Era edited by Ewa Kolinsky, P.229 ↑ DER SPIEGEL 34/1971 Wenn's mies wird, 15.08.1971 ↑ The Federal Republic of Germany: The End of an Era edited by Ewa Kolinsky, P.229 ↑ Willy Brandt Life of a Statesman By Hélène Miard-Delacroix, 2016, P.147 ↑ Germany Since 1815: A Nation Forged and Renewed by David G. Williamson ↑ DeutscherBundestag 151. Sitzung Bonn, Donnerstag, den 11. November 1971, P.8708 ↑ Germany Since 1815: A Nation Forged and Renewed by David G. Williamson ↑ Adnan Yaseen Hussein, & Wisam Ali Thabet. (2021). Economic reforms of the Willy Brandt government 1969-1972. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt / Egyptology, 18(10), 3132-3145. Retrieved from https://archives.palarch.nl/index.php/jae/article/view/10324 ↑ Sozialpolitik:Mehr Recht am Arbeitsplatz 28. April 1972, 7:00 Uhr ↑ Adnan Yaseen Hussein, & Wisam Ali Thabet. (2021). Economic reforms of the Willy Brandt government 1969-1972. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt / Egyptology, 18(10), 3132-3145. Retrieved from https://archives.palarch.nl/index.php/jae/article/view/10324 ↑ Adnan Yaseen Hussein, & Wisam Ali Thabet. (2021). Economic reforms of the Willy Brandt government 1969-1972. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt / Egyptology, 18(10), 3132-3145. Retrieved from https://archives.palarch.nl/index.php/jae/article/view/10324 ↑ Adnan Yaseen Hussein, & Wisam Ali Thabet. (2021). Economic reforms of the Willy Brandt government 1969-1972. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt / Egyptology, 18(10), 3132-3145. Retrieved from https://archives.palarch.nl/index.php/jae/article/view/10324 ↑ Adnan Yaseen Hussein, & Wisam Ali Thabet. (2021). Economic reforms of the Willy Brandt government 1969-1972. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt / Egyptology, 18(10), 3132-3145. Retrieved from https://archives.palarch.nl/index.php/jae/article/view/10324 ↑ Helmut Schmidt, West German chancellor – obituary 5:40PM GMT 10 Nov 2015 ↑ The World: Rise of an American-Style Politician TIME MAY 20, 1974 ↑ Helmut Schmidt Statesman, Strategist, Bundeswehr Reformer By Michael Staack, 2016, P.10 ↑ Helmut Schmidt, West German chancellor – obituary 5:40PM GMT 10 Nov 2015 ↑ Binder, David (1992-10-09)."Willy Brandt Dead at 78; Forged West Germany's Reconciliation With the East" .The New York Times .ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved2017-04-17 . ↑ MARSHALL, TYLER (1992-10-18)."Germans Lay Beloved Statesman Brandt to Rest : Funeral: 'He shaped an era,' the country's president says of the former West Berlin mayor, foreign minister and chancellor" .Los Angeles Times .ISSN 0458-3035 . Retrieved2017-04-17 .
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