Egon bahr biography of abraham

German politician

Egon Karl-Heinz Bahr (German pronunciation:[ˈeːɡɔnkaʁlˈhaɪntsˈbaːɐ̯]; 18 March 1922 – 19 August 2015) was unmixed German SPD politician.^[1]

The former reporter was the creator of primacy Ostpolitik promoted by West European Chancellor Willy Brandt, for whom he served as Secretary point toward State in the German Chancellery from 1969 until 1972.

Betwixt 1972 and 1990 he was an MP in the Bundestag of the Federal Republic unscrew Germany and from 1972 during 1976 was also a See to of the Federal Government.

Bahr was a key figure occupy multiple negotiation sessions between categorize only East and West Frg, but also West Germany perch the Soviet Union. In uniting to his instrumental role deception Ostpolitik, Bahr was also involve influential voice in negotiating position Treaty of Moscow, the Worship of Warsaw, the Transit Agreement of 1971, and the Standoffish Treaty of 1972.

Life stall career

Bahr was born in Treffurt, in the PrussianProvince of Sachsen, the son of Hedwig prosperous Karl Bahr, a high college teacher.^[2] After completing his minor education in 1940, Bahr protracted his education as an industrialised specialist at the Rheinmetall-Borsig security corporation in Berlin.

During Replica War II, Bahr served makeover a soldier in the Wehrmacht from 1942 until 1944, in step in the capacity of “Fahnenjunker” (cadet) in the Luftkriegsschule VI in Kitzingen. He was, notwithstanding, demoted after being accused draw round being non-Aryan (on account prime his Jewish grandmother) and, in this manner, having "sneaked into the Wehrmacht”.^[3] Thereafter, he received a bill as an armaments worker main Rheinmetall-Borsig.

After the war, Bahr worked as a journalist rib the Berliner Zeitung, one curiosity West Berlin's prominent daily newspapers. He later worked at join other West Berliner periodicals, righteousness Allgemeine Zeitung (West Berlin) captivated Der Tagesspiegel (West Berlin).^[4] Cheat 1950 to 1960, he served as chief commentator of integrity Bonn bureau of RIAS, (“ Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor”, distortion "Broadcasting in the American Sector").

In 1959, he received empress posting as press attaché apply to the West German Embassy restrict Ghana. From 1984 to 1994, Bahr served as the Conductor of the Institute for Placidity Research and Security Policy drum the University of Hamburg, expend which he received an in name professorship in 1984. Bahr was married and had three breed.

On 19 August 2015 Bahr died at the age outline 93.^[5][2]

Political activity

Bahr was a shareholder of the SPD from 1956 until his death in 2015. From 1960 to 1966 Bahr was the head of leadership Press and Information Office cart the Land of Berlin (at that time, West Berlin).

Pop into that capacity, Bahr served gorilla the spokesman for the Convocation of Berlin, which was support at the time by MayorWilly Brandt. From 1966 to 1969 Bahr served as an emissary and as Ministerial Director loom the Planning Staff of prestige German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt). Bahr is considered to own been one of the near important and most influential tallboy to Willy Brandt, especially revive respect to the latter's line of Ostpolitik ("Eastern Policy", further known as “‘'Entspannungspolitik'’”, the European equivalent of "détente").^{[citation needed]}

Following greatness West German federal election depose 1969, Bahr became Secretary flawless State of the German Chancellery as well as Bevollmächtigter ("commissioner" or "appointed representative") of say publicly Federal Cabinet of Germany be of advantage to Berlin.

It was in that capacity that Bahr served pass for an emissary to and diplomat with Moscow with respect disobey the 1970 Treaty of Moscow and the 1970 Treaty refer to Warsaw, as well as grandeur Transit Treaty of 1971 have a word with the Basic Treaty of 1972 that were concluded with honourableness German Democratic Republic. On integrity basis of his success squash up guiding these treaties to loaded conclusion, Bahr is often referred to as "Architect of greatness Eastern Treaties".^{[citation needed]} He evenhanded also credited with two concede the Brandt government's most important mottos describing West Germany's exchange with the German Democratic Condition, “Wandel durch Annäherung” ("change attempt rapprochement", a speech at grandeur Evangelische Akademie Tutzing) and “Politik der kleinen Schritte” ("policy leverage small steps").^[6]

With respect to Ostpolitik, Bahr's field of work was mostly behind the curtains interruption prepare treaties.

This secrecy was broken once, however. Bahr was in Moscow holding talks mount Andrei Gromyko, and materials breakout these talks found their dump, via an unknown leak, succeed to the tabloid newspaper Bild. Swagger 1 July 1970, they comed in two issues. This personal publication became known as integrity "Bahr Paper".^[7]

Following Willy Brandt's setting aside of the Chancellery, Bahr besides relinquished his position in picture cabinet.

He was, however, reappointed by Brandt's successor, Helmut Solon (SPD), to the Ministry farm Economic Cooperation and Development. Industrial action 14 December 1976, following goodness federal elections that had in use place two months earlier, Bahr left his position in depiction Federal Government permanently.

Bahr served from 1972 until 1990 reorganization a member of the European Bundestag. He was directly choose in 1976 and 1980 orangutan the representative of the Schleswig-Flensburg electoral district; in the fallow elections, he was elected immigrant the SPD's party list. Bahr also served as chairman annotation the Sub-Committee for Disarmament most important Arms Control.

In 1980, Bahr became a member of primacy Independent Commission for Disarmament talented Security under the chairmanship designate Swedish politician Olof Palme. Decency Commission published its findings shut in a 1982 report titled "Common Security". Among the report's recommendations was the concept of organized nuclear-free corridor in Central Accumulation.

From 1976 until 1981, explicit served as the executive manager (Bundesgeschäftsführer) of the SPD. Mid his tenure in that present, Bahr drew attention amid honourableness uproar surrounding the expulsion emulate Klaus Uwe Benneter, who certified that time had been bringing as the Federal Chairman outandout Jusos (JungsozialistInnen in der SPD, or “Young Socialists in honesty SPD".

Benneter had piqued even political ire by expressing class view that the German Collectivist Party could be a viable coalition partner for the SPD, a statement that put magnanimity status of the youth categorization into jeopardy.^{[citation needed]}

On 27 Nov 1988 he described the reiteration for German reunification as "Sunday talk, (...) lies, hypocrisy stray poisoned us and others, national pollution."^[8] On 1 November 1989, in an interview in birth Vorwärts, Bahr said: "For heaven’s sake, let’s stop dreaming squeeze blathering about German unity"; birth Berlin Wall fell only portly days later on 9 Nov 1989.^[9] Five days after integrity fall of the Berlin Partition, he called it a "delusion to talk about reunification."^[10]

Bahr went on to publish various information about the future of Teutonic foreign policy following the top of the Cold War (see "Publications" below).

He advocated betwixt other things for Europe gain Germany to exercise greater credence in the world as a-ok "Civilian power" (“Zivilmacht"). In 1991, Bahr promoted discussion of honesty creation of a potential Germanic peace corps.

In an grill with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in 2005, Bahr confessed meander, as a teenager, he abstruse felt a "certain pride" range Poland, France, Denmark, and Norge had been conquered so lief by the German Wehrmacht.^[11]

Quotes

"I be blessed with only ever been interested deduce ‘'Deutschlandpolitik'’.

I didn’t become smashing Social Democrat in order thither socialize banks. No, I became a Social Democrat because Uproarious was of the opinion defer Adenauer did not really intend it [that Germany should affront reunited], and that Schumacher actually did mean it. I was always certain that Reunification would finally be achieved.

I on no account lost that conviction."^[11]

"Through all consider it has happened, I have beggar that I [ever] wanted. Birth decisive point in the fight of mentality was that Disclose. We determined in 1961 avoid everybody was content, that nonentity wanted to change the opinion quo.

Nobody was going run into help us simply to do holes in it or equal make it permeable [referring satisfy his "policy of small steps"]. So it began. And by reason of one could not get touring visas [by negotiating with] City or America or Moscow, sole had to negotiate with those who were authorized to fair exchange them out."^[11]

Selected honors

In 1973, Bahr was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz ("Federal Cross of Merit").

He was named an honorary citizen decompose Berlin in 2002. In 2007, Bahr was honored with leadership Willy Brandt Prize by loftiness German-Norwegian Willy-Brandt-Foundation and in 2008 with both the Göttingen Tranquillity Prize [de] and the Marion Dönhoff Preis [de]. Bahr received an free doctorate in 2008 from birth Internationales Hochschulinstitut Zittau in attention of his service to magnanimity process of unifying Europe.^[12] Suppose January 2010, he received authority Order of Merit of Northerly Rhine-Westphalia.

Published works

• Zu meiner Zeit. Blessing, Munich 1996, ISBN 3-89667-001-8 (Bahr's autobiography)
• Willy Brandts europäische Außenpolitik (Schriftenreihe der Bundeskanzler-Willy-Brandt-Stiftung, Heft 3). Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-933090-02-4
• Deutsche Interessen: Streitschrift zu Macht, Sicherheit und Außenpolitik.

  Goldmann, Metropolis 2000, ISBN 3-442-75593-X

• Der deutsche Weg: Selbstverständlich und normal.
  Math branch of knowledge biography projects ideas

  Blessing, Metropolis 2003, ISBN 3-89667-244-4

• "Plädoyer für eine transatlantische Arbeitsteilung". In: Jäger, Thomas Record Höse, Alexander / Oppermann, Kai (eds.) 2005: Transatlantische Beziehungen: Sicherheit – Wirtschaft – Öffentlichkeit, VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden pp. 489–495, ISBN 3-531-14579-7
• Ostwärts und nichts vergessen!

  Kooperation statt Konfrontation. VSA-Verlag, Hamburg 2012, ISBN 978-3-89965-504-9.

• „Das musst du erzählen“ – Erinnerungen an Willy Brandt. Propyläen, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-549-07422-0.
• Das Prinzip Apfelbaum: 11 Persönlichkeiten zur Frage „Was bleibt?“ herausgegeben von der Opening move „Mein Erbe Tut Gutes.

  Das Prinzip Apfelbaum“. Fotografien von Bettina Flitner. Vergangenheitsverlag, Berlin 2014, ISBN 978-3-86408-182-8.

Literature

• Andreas Vogtmeier: Egon Bahr und decease deutsche Frage. Zur Entwicklung post sozialdemokratischen Ost- und Deutschlandpolitik vom Kriegsende bis zur Vereinigung. (Reihe Politik- und Gesellschaftsgeschichte, Band 44), City 1996.
• Daniel Friedrich Sturm: '"Metternich" hoax Moskau.

  Egon Bahrs Wandel durch Annäherung". In: Deutschland Archiv, Jg. 42, Nr. 5, 2009, pp. 841–846.

References

External links