Helmut Schmidt

Chancellor of West Germany (1974-1982) · Germany · Politicians · Lived 1918 to 2015 · aged 96

Helmut Schmidt is read about 2,269 times a day, in 95 languages.

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West Germany's chancellor through the late Cold War, holding the office from 1974 to 1982 while pushing for European unity and a strong Atlantic partnership. He outlived every other German chancellor, spending more than three decades after power as an elder voice for European integration.

Politicians Politician Politics Economics Literature Founders Music Germany

A life in dates

2015Died10 November 20152014Ewald von Kleist PrizeAward2012Eric M. Warburg AwardAward2010“If you look closely, you'll see that the political journalists actually more belong to the political class and less to journalism.”In their wordsMarch 2010in the interview with Giovanni di Lorenzo, ZEITmagazin 25. March 2010, nr. 13Read the whole statement

Point Alpha PrizeAward2008“Of course, nuclear power has its risks. But there is no power and nothing in the world without risks, not even love.”In their wordsJuly 2008Zeit Online, 23. July 2008Read the whole statement

OsgarAward2007“The rule of law does not have to win, it does not have to lose, but it has to exist!”In their wordsAugust 2007DIE ZEIT, nr. 36/2007, 30. August 2007Read the whole statement

“Nothing is more important than pastoral care for people in need. [...] For me, nothing is less important than theology.”In their wordsim Gespräch mit Hans Küng über den Weltethos, 2007, YouTubeRead the whole statement

Global Economy PrizeAward2006“If we continue on for decades as before, then I have to be pessimistic about our country.”In their wordsFebruary 2006in conversation with the authors of the series of documentaries "Der Fall Deutschland", statcion Phoenix, 12. February 2006, phoenix.deRead the whole statement

2005Oswald-von-Nell-Breuning AwardAward2004“With a democratic society, the concept of multiculturalism is difficult to reconcile. Maybe in a very long term.”In their wordsNovember 2004Hamburger Abendblatt, 24. November 2004Read the whole statement

1998Honorary Citizen of Schleswig-HolsteinAward1989Honorary Citizen of BerlinAward1983Honorary Citizen of HamburgAwardHonorary CitizenshipAward1981Doctor Honoris Causa from the Paris-Sorbonne UniversityAward1979Honorary Doctor of Harvard UniversityAward1978Theodor Heuss AwardAward1972Orden wider den tierischen ErnstAward1918Born23 December 1918

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

Bundeskanzler Helmut Schmidt

6 Friedhelm Kemna Helmut Schmidt

Danke an Helmut Schmidt Messingtafel vor dem Michel

Ehrung Holster Stelzner von Helmut Schmidt

Geburtstagsbus H.Schmidt

Helmut Schmidt 1953

Helmut Schmidt AG Sport

Helmut Steinbach dirigiert in der Paulskirche

In their own words 10

Helmut Schmidt

10 statements, newest first

Immigration from foreign civilizations creates more problems than it can bring us in terms of positive factors on the labor market.
Dec 2010, in the interview with Sandra Maischberger, Menschen bei Maischberger 14. December 2010, Das Erste, Own words
If you look closely, you'll see that the political journalists actually more belong to the political class and less to journalism.
Mar 2010, in the interview with Giovanni di Lorenzo, ZEITmagazin 25. March 2010, nr. 13, Own words
One is left, the other is right. But comparable populists are Lafontaine and Le Pen already.
Sep 2008, In the interview with Kai Diekmann, Walter Mayer and Hans-Jörg Vehlewald Bild am Sonntag, 15. September 2008, Own words

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Awards

Ewald von Kleist Prize2014

Eric M. Warburg Award2012

Hanns Martin Schleyer Prize2012

Point Alpha Prize2010

Leipzig International Mendelssohn Prize2009

Osgar2008

Global Economy Prize2007

Honorary Doctor of the University of Marburg2007

Oswald-von-Nell-Breuning Award2005

Honorary Doctorate2003

Honorary Citizen of Schleswig-Holstein1998

Honorary Citizenship1995

Honorary Citizen of Berlin1989

Four Freedoms Award - Freedom Medal1988

Honorary Citizenship1983

Honorary Citizen of Hamburg1983

Honorary Citizen of Bonn1983

Doctor Honoris Causa from the Paris-Sorbonne University1981

Honorary Doctor of Harvard University1979

Honorary Doctor of the Paul Cézanne University1979

Theodor Heuss Award1978

Financial Times Person of the Year1975

Orden wider den tierischen Ernst1972

Iron Cross 2nd Class

Honorary Doctorate of Haifa University

Honorary Doctorate from the University of Cambridge

Honorary doctor of the University of Oxford

Honorary Doctor of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

Family

Parents

Helmut Schmidt

Partners

Spouse Loki Schmidt

Child Susanne Schmidt

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About this person

Helmut Schmidt rose through the Social Democratic Party to serve as defence minister under Willy Brandt in 1969, then finance minister in 1972, where his policies earned him credibility in economic management. He became chancellor in 1974 and focused outward, seeking European political unification alongside the United States through energetic diplomacy and international coordination. Re-elected in 1976 and 1980, his coalition collapsed in 1982 when the Free Democrats switched sides. He left Parliament in 1986 after clashing with his party's left wing over defence and economic positions, but continued advocating for a European monetary union and central bank. He died in 2015 at 96, having lived longer after leaving office than any chancellor before or since.

Country

Germany

In common with Helmut

Valéry Giscard d'EstaingBoth received Ewald von Kleist Prize

Condoleezza RiceBoth received Eric M. Warburg Award

Jens StoltenbergBoth received Eric M. Warburg Award

Hans-Jochen VogelBoth received Oswald-von-Nell-Breuning Award

Henry KissingerBoth received Ewald von Kleist Prize

Helmut KohlBoth received Eric M. Warburg Award

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