Helmut Schmidt

Helmut Schmidt was a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), who served as the chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Before becoming chancellor, he served as the minister of defence (1969–1972) and the minister of finance (1972–1974) in the government of Willy Brandt. In the latter role he gained credit for his financial policies. He had also briefly been minister of economics and acting foreign minister. Schmidt was born in Hamburg, Germany, on December 23, 1918. He was the son of a half-Jewish teacher and a Protestant mother. He served in the Wehrmacht (German Army) during World War II and earned an Iron Cross for his service. After the war he joined the SPD, studied economics at the University of Hamburg, and then served in the economics and transport sector of the Hamburg municipal government (1949–53). He was elected to the Bundestag (1953–61), returned to service in Hamburg (1961–65), and was reelected to the Bundestag in 1965. He became vice-chairman of the SPD in 1968. As a leading member of the SPD, which held power through its alliance with the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), Schmidt was elected to the chancellorship of West Germany on May 16, 1974, following the resignation of Brandt. Schmidt proved to be a capable and popular chancellor and was reelected in 1976 and 1980. During his tenure, he faced several challenges, such as the global recession of the early 1980s, the rise of terrorism by groups such as the Red Army Faction, and the deployment of nuclear missiles by NATO and the Soviet Union. He also played an important role in European integration and international relations, especially with France, the United States, and China. However, his refusal to cut West Germany’s social welfare programs prompted the centrist FDP to defect from his governing coalition. Having lost his voting majority in the Bundestag, Schmidt resigned the chancellorship upon a vote of no confidence in the Bundestag on October 1, 1982. His successor was Helmut Kohl of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Schmidt continued to serve as a member of the Bundestag until his retirement from politics in 1986. After leaving office, Schmidt became a co-publisher (1983–2015) of the influential weekly Die Zeit. He also wrote numerous books on German political affairs and European international relations. He remained a respected figure in German public life and often commented on current issues. He died on November 10, 2015, in Hamburg.