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Franz Josef Strauß

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Article Genealogy
Parent: Bavaria Hop 4
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Franz Josef Strauß
Franz Josef Strauß
Robert Ward (DoD photo by) · Public domain · source
NameFranz Josef Strauß
CaptionStrauß in 1977
OfficeMinister-President of Bavaria
Term start6 November 1978
Term end3 October 1988
PredecessorAlfons Goppel
SuccessorMax Streibl
Office1Federal Minister of Finance
Term start12 December 1966
Term end122 October 1969
Chancellor1Kurt Georg Kiesinger
Predecessor1Rolf Dahlgrün
Successor1Alex Möller
Office2Federal Minister of Defence
Term start216 October 1956
Term end29 January 1963
Chancellor2Konrad Adenauer
Predecessor2Theodor Blank
Successor2Kai-Uwe von Hassel
Office3Federal Minister for Atomic Energy
Term start321 October 1955
Term end316 October 1956
Chancellor3Konrad Adenauer
Predecessor3Office established
Successor3Siegfried Balke
Birth date6 September 1915
Birth placeMunich, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Death date3 October 1988 (aged 73)
Death placeRegensburg, Bavaria, West Germany
PartyChristian Social Union in Bavaria
SpouseMarianne Strauß (née Zwicknagl)
Children3, including Max Strauß
Alma materLudwig Maximilian University of Munich

Franz Josef Strauß was a dominant and polarizing figure in post-war German politics, serving as a long-time chairman of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria and as Minister-President of Bavaria. His career spanned key federal ministries, including Defence and Finance, and he was a central architect of the CDU/CSU alliance. Known for his forceful personality, staunch anti-communism, and advocacy for Bavarian interests, he left a profound and contested legacy on the Federal Republic of Germany.

Early life and education

Born in Munich during the Wilhelmine era, he was the son of a butcher. He demonstrated academic prowess early, graduating from the Maximiliansgymnasium München before studying history, Latin, and Greek at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. His studies were interrupted by compulsory service in the Reich Labour Service and later conscription into the Wehrmacht during the Second World War, where he served as a non-commissioned officer on the Western and Eastern Fronts. After being captured by American forces in 1945, he resumed his studies and passed the state examination for secondary school teachers.

Political career

His political ascent began swiftly in the nascent Christian Social Union in Bavaria, where he became a protégé of Joseph Baumgartner. Elected to the first Bundestag in 1949, he quickly gained a reputation as a formidable debater. Chancellor Konrad Adenauer appointed him Federal Minister for Atomic Energy in 1955 and then Federal Minister of Defence in 1956. In this role, he oversaw the controversial rearmament of the Bundeswehr and its integration into NATO. The Spiegel affair in 1962, involving the illegal arrest of journalists from Der Spiegel, forced his temporary resignation. He returned as Federal Minister of Finance in the Grand Coalition under Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger, where he managed the first major postwar recession.

Minister-President of Bavaria

After the CDU/CSU's defeat in the 1969 federal election, he focused on Bavarian politics, becoming chairman of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria in 1961 and solidifying its absolute majority in the Bavarian Landtag. Elected Minister-President of Bavaria in 1978, he pursued a policy of aggressive industrial promotion, championing major projects like the Munich airport and attracting high-tech firms to regions like Upper Bavaria. His tenure was marked by significant investment in infrastructure and education, including the expansion of the University of Regensburg. He fiercely defended Bavaria's state rights against the SPD-led federal government under Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.

Controversies and legacy

His career was punctuated by major controversies, most notably the Spiegel affair, which was seen as an attack on freedom of the press. His combative style and past membership in the Wehrmacht made him a lightning rod for the German student movement. As the CDU/CSU candidate for Chancellor in the 1980 federal election, he was defeated by Helmut Schmidt. He was a key figure in the German nuclear debate, supporting the deployment of Pershing II missiles. His legacy is deeply divisive; admirers credit him with Bavaria's economic transformation and steadfast Atlanticism, while critics condemn his authoritarian tendencies and role in the Spiegel affair.

Personal life and death

He married Marianne Zwicknagl in 1957, and they had three children, including the entrepreneur Max Strauß. A passionate hunter and accomplished pianist, he was also known for his deep Catholic faith and patronage of Bavarian cultural traditions. He maintained a famous rivalry with Willy Brandt and a complex, often strained partnership with Helmut Kohl. He suffered a heart attack and died in Regensburg in October 1988, prompting a state funeral attended by numerous dignitaries including Richard von Weizsäcker and Helmut Kohl.

Category:1915 births Category:1988 deaths Category:Government ministers of West Germany Category:Minister-Presidents of Bavaria Category:Christian Social Union in Bavaria politicians