Franz Josef Jung
Encyclopedia
Franz Josef Jung is a German
politician
of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
. He became Federal Minister of Defence in the Grand coalition cabinet of Angela Merkel
on 22 November 2005. In October 2009 he became Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
but resigned a month later.
and civil law notary
. In 1978 Jung successfully completed his doctoral studies at the University of Mainz and was hence awarded the title Dr. jur. (i.e. PhD in Law). In his political career, he held various party functions in Hesse
(currently as vice chairman of the CDU there) and also served as a state minister.
In September 2007 he sparked a debate by his controversial assertion to shoot down jetliners in the case of a terrorist attack on Germany. Several politicians of the opposition parties as well as politicians from the SPD
, especially Reinhard Bütikofer
and Kurt Beck
, described his move as "unconstitutional" and called for his resignation.
in Afghanistan
of 4 September 2009. The airstrike was against two fuel tankers that had been hijacked by the Taliban but also resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians
. Jung's resignation was over allegations that, whilst he was Defence Minister, he intentionally downplayed the possibility that civilians had been killed in the airstrike. A video taken by the American F-15
fighter bomber involved in the airstrike was leaked to the newspaper Bild and is said to have clearly depicted civilians in the target area. However, it is not clear whether Jung knew about the video when he had denied that civilians were killed.
Jung's resignation came a day after the resignation of Wolfgang Schneiderhan
, the Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr
, and Peter Wichert, a senior Defence Ministry official. Their resignations were described as Germany's "biggest military shake-up in more than two decades" and have been claimed as proof that the defence ministry actively suppressed information about the incident.
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
. He became Federal Minister of Defence in the Grand coalition cabinet of Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
on 22 November 2005. In October 2009 he became Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Germany)
The Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs is a top-level federal agency of the Federal Republic of Germany headed by the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs as a member of the Cabinet of Germany...
but resigned a month later.
Life and work
After his military service, Franz Josef Jung studied law at the University of Mainz and is a lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and civil law notary
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
. In 1978 Jung successfully completed his doctoral studies at the University of Mainz and was hence awarded the title Dr. jur. (i.e. PhD in Law). In his political career, he held various party functions in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
(currently as vice chairman of the CDU there) and also served as a state minister.
In September 2007 he sparked a debate by his controversial assertion to shoot down jetliners in the case of a terrorist attack on Germany. Several politicians of the opposition parties as well as politicians from the SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
, especially Reinhard Bütikofer
Reinhard Bütikofer
Reinhard Hans Bütikofer is a German politician for the Alliance 90/The Greens party and was from 8 December 2002 till 16 November 2008 party leader, together with Claudia Roth....
and Kurt Beck
Kurt Beck
Kurt Beck is a German politician , serving as the Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate since 1994 and as President of the Bundesrat in 2000/01. On May 14, 2006, he succeeded Matthias Platzeck as Chairman of the German Social Democratic Party...
, described his move as "unconstitutional" and called for his resignation.
Resignation
On 27 November 2009, he tendered his resignation as Minister of Labour and Social Affairs because of the Kunduz airstrikeKunduz airstrike
The Kunduz airstrike took place on Friday 4 September 2009 at roughly 2:30 am local time, southwest of Kunduz City, Kunduz province in northern Afghanistan, near the hamlets of Omar Kheil by the border of the Chahar Dara and Ali Abad districts...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
of 4 September 2009. The airstrike was against two fuel tankers that had been hijacked by the Taliban but also resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians
Collateral damage
Collateral damage is damage to people or property that is unintended or incidental to the intended outcome. The phrase is prevalently used as an euphemism for civilian casualties of a military action.-Etymology:...
. Jung's resignation was over allegations that, whilst he was Defence Minister, he intentionally downplayed the possibility that civilians had been killed in the airstrike. A video taken by the American F-15
F-15E Strike Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force F-15E Strike...
fighter bomber involved in the airstrike was leaked to the newspaper Bild and is said to have clearly depicted civilians in the target area. However, it is not clear whether Jung knew about the video when he had denied that civilians were killed.
Jung's resignation came a day after the resignation of Wolfgang Schneiderhan
Wolfgang Schneiderhan (General)
Wolfgang Schneiderhan is a German general who served as Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, from 2002 to 2009.-Military career:...
, the Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, and Peter Wichert, a senior Defence Ministry official. Their resignations were described as Germany's "biggest military shake-up in more than two decades" and have been claimed as proof that the defence ministry actively suppressed information about the incident.
Personal life
Jung is a Roman Catholic. He is married with three children and lives in Erbach, RheingauErbach, Rheingau
Erbach is a Stadtteil in Eltville am Rhein, Hesse, Germany. It lies within the Rheingau wine region.- Famous people :* Princess Marianne of the Netherlands lived in Schloss Reinhartshausen from 1855 to 1883....
.
External links
- Official website
- Biography by German Bundestag
- Interview: „Wir sind nicht da, um Kongo zu befrieden“ (Tagesspiegel, 5 April 2006)