 |
Walter Scheel
b. 8 Jul 1919, Höhscheid bei Solingen, German Reich
d. 24 Aug 2016, Bad Krozingen, Baden-Württemberg, Federal Republic of Germany |
| Title: |
Bundespräsident (Federal President) |
| Term: |
1 Jul 1974 - 30 Jun 1979 |
| Chronology: |
15 May 1974,
elected, session of the Bundesversammlung (Federal Assembly), Beethovenhalle, Bonn [1] |
| |
1 Jul 1974,
took an oath of office as Federal President, joint session of the Bundestag and Bundesrat, Bonn [2] |
| |
30 Jun 1979, expiration of term |
| Other offices: |
Stellvertreter des Bundeskanzlers (Deputy Federal Chancellor) [22 Oct 1969 - 16 May 1974] (see details) |
| Biography: |
| After serving in World War II, he became interested in politics and joined the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in 1946; was elected to the municipal council of Solingen (1948) and to the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia (1950-1953); elected a member of the Bundestag (1953-1974); held the office of federal minister for economic cooperation in the Cabinets of Konrad Adenauer and Ludwig Erhard (1961-1966); served as Vice President of the Bundestag (8 Sep 1967 - 19 Oct 1969); succeeded Erich Mendes as federal chairman of the FDP (1968-1974); when the Social Democrat-Free Democrat coalition government was formed in 1969 by Chancellor Willy Brandt, he became foreign minister and deputy federal chancellor (22 Oct 1969 - 16 May 1974); as foreign minister he helped improve relations with East Germany and the Soviet Union; when Brandt resigned as Federal Chancellor (6 May 1974), he replaced him in charge of the government until Helmut Schmidt took office 16 May 1974; was elected Federal President by the 7th Bundesversammlung (Federal Assembly); during his tenure, his activities were mostly limited to ceremonial functions and foreign visits; although he was offered to stand for re-election, he refused and accepted executive office in the Deutschen Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG) company; later served as an executive in the Thyssen AG and the Thyssen Stahl AG. |
| Biographical sources: "Die Bundespräsidenten: Biographien eines Amtes", by Günther Scholz (Heidelberg: Decker & Müller, 1990). |
| Elections: |
| Candidate (party) |
Vote (15 May 1974) |
| Walter Scheel (FDP) |
530 |
| Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker (CDU/CSU) |
498 |
| abstentions |
5 |
| invalid |
0 |
| total votes cast |
1,033 |
| total votes/absolute majority: |
1,036/519 |
|
| Source of electoral results: Verhandlungen des Deutschen Bundestages, 7. Wahlperiode, Bd. 88, S. 1-7. |
| |
| [1] |
Verhandlungen des Deutschen Bundestages, 7. Wahlperiode, Bd. 88, S. 1-7. |
| [2] |
Verhandlungen des Deutschen Bundestages, 7. Wahlperiode, Bd. 88, S. 7619ff. |
