Hildegard Hamm-Brücher
Encyclopedia
Hildegard Hamm-Brücher (born May 11, 1921) is a prominent liberal politician in Germany
. She held federal state secretary positions from 1969 to 1972 and from 1977 to 1982. In 1993 she became the Free Democratic Party's
candidate for the federal presidency elections to be held the following year.
. Her grandmother came from an industrial family, whose ancestors had converted from Judaism
to Protestantism
. In the early 1930s, a young Hamm-Brücher made the acquaintance of Pastor Martin Niemöller, who later during the Hitler era was imprisoned. Hamm-Brücher received her Abitur
in 1939 and studied chemistry in Munich
. She received her doctorate in chemistry in 1945 and began working as a science journalist for the "Neue Zeitung", an American-run newspaper, in what was then still occupied Germany.
in 1948. She was elected to the Munich
city council from 1948 to 1954, the Landtag of Bavaria
from 1950 to 1966 and again from 1970 to 1976, and the Bundestag
from 1976 to 1990. Hamm-Brücher focussed much of her work on education policy, and was appointed as secretary of state
to the Hessian
and federal Ministry for Education in 1967 and 1969, respectively. She also served as a Minister of State
in the German Foreign Office
from 1977 to 1982, while her party was part of a coalition government with the Social Democratic Party
.
In 1982 the Free Democratic Party
left that coalition in order to form a new coalition with the Christian Democratic Union
. Rather than holding new elections, the Free Democrats supported a constructive vote of no confidence
against Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
and in favor of Christian Democrat Helmut Kohl
. Hamm-Brücher prominently opposed the new coalition itself, as well as the method of switching coalitions without an election. Subsequently she lost her position as Minister of State
, but continued to serve as a member of the parliament until 1990.
Her party nominated her as the Free Democrat's candidate in the German presidential election in 1994. However, the Free Democratic Party
, then still in a coalition with the much larger Christian Democratic Union
under Chancellor Kohl
, ultimately chose to support the Christian Democrat's candidate Roman Herzog
. Herzog went on to win the election with the combined majority of Christian and Free Democrats.
In 2002 she left the Free Democratic Party
after a controversy with Jürgen Möllemann
about his antisemitic election campaign.
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...
. She held federal state secretary positions from 1969 to 1972 and from 1977 to 1982. In 1993 she became the Free Democratic Party's
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
candidate for the federal presidency elections to be held the following year.
Early life and education
Hamm-Brücher was born in Essen, Germany and grew up with four siblings in a non-political, bourgeois family. Her father was director of an electric firm; her mother maintained the household. Unexpectedly, her parents died within a year of each other when she was only ten and eleven years old. After the death of her parents, along with her siblings, she was brought up by her widowed grandmother in DresdenDresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. Her grandmother came from an industrial family, whose ancestors had converted from Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
to Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
. In the early 1930s, a young Hamm-Brücher made the acquaintance of Pastor Martin Niemöller, who later during the Hitler era was imprisoned. Hamm-Brücher received her Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in 1939 and studied chemistry in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. She received her doctorate in chemistry in 1945 and began working as a science journalist for the "Neue Zeitung", an American-run newspaper, in what was then still occupied Germany.
Political career
Hamm-Brücher joined the Free Democratic PartyFree Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
in 1948. She was elected to the Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
city council from 1948 to 1954, the Landtag of Bavaria
Landtag of Bavaria
The Landtag of Bavaria is the unicameral legislature of the state of Bavaria in Germany. Between 1946 and 1999 there was an upper house, the Senate of Bavaria. The parliament meets in the Maximilianeum....
from 1950 to 1966 and again from 1970 to 1976, and the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
from 1976 to 1990. Hamm-Brücher focussed much of her work on education policy, and was appointed as secretary of state
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
to the Hessian
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...
and federal Ministry for Education in 1967 and 1969, respectively. She also served as a Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
in the German Foreign Office
Foreign Office (Germany)
The Foreign Office is the foreign ministry of Germany, a federal agency responsible for both the country's foreign politics and its relationship with the European Union. From 1871 to 1919, it was led by a Foreign Secretary, and since 1919, it has been led by the Foreign Minister of Germany...
from 1977 to 1982, while her party was part of a coalition government with the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
.
In 1982 the Free Democratic Party
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
left that coalition in order to form a new coalition with the Christian Democratic Union
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...
. Rather than holding new elections, the Free Democrats supported a constructive vote of no confidence
Constructive vote of no confidence
The constructive vote of no confidence is a variation on the motion of no confidence which allows a parliament to withdraw confidence from a head of government only if there is a positive majority for a prospective successor...
against Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
Helmut Schmidt
Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt is a German Social Democratic politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Prior to becoming chancellor, he had served as Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance. He had also served briefly as Minister of Economics and as acting...
and in favor of Christian Democrat Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
. Hamm-Brücher prominently opposed the new coalition itself, as well as the method of switching coalitions without an election. Subsequently she lost her position as Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
, but continued to serve as a member of the parliament until 1990.
Her party nominated her as the Free Democrat's candidate in the German presidential election in 1994. However, the Free Democratic Party
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
, then still in a coalition with the much larger Christian Democratic Union
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...
under Chancellor Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
, ultimately chose to support the Christian Democrat's candidate Roman Herzog
Roman Herzog
Roman Herzog is a German politician as a member of the Christian Democratic Union, and served as President of Germany from 1994 to 1999...
. Herzog went on to win the election with the combined majority of Christian and Free Democrats.
In 2002 she left the Free Democratic Party
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
after a controversy with Jürgen Möllemann
Jürgen Möllemann
Jürgen Wilhelm Möllemann was a German politician of the Free Democratic Party. He served as Minister of State at the Foreign Office , as Federal Minister of Education and Research , as Federal Minister of Economics and as Vice Chancellor of Germany in the government of Chancellor Helmut...
about his antisemitic election campaign.