Gustav Heinemann

Born July 23, 1899, in Schwelm; died July 7, 1976, in Essen. State figure of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).

By profession a lawyer, Heinemann was associated with the Rheinische Stahlwerke concern from 1928 to 1936, first as legal counsel and later as a member of the board. In 1945 he joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In 1949 and 1950, Heinemann was minister of the interior in the government of K. Adenauer; he resigned from the post to express his opposition to the government’s policies. From 1949 to 1955 he was president of the synod of the Evangelical Church of the FRG. In 1952 he left the CDU and formed the pacifist All-German People’s Party. He joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany in 1957. Heinemann served as minister of justice from 1966 to 1969 and as president of the FRG from 1969 to 1974.