Fritz Hellwig
Encyclopedia
Dr. Fritz Hellwig was a German CDU
politician and European Commissioner
. He was born in Saarbrücken
.
province, known at that time as the Rhine Province
of Prussia
. After finishing school in 1930 in Saarbrücken
he studied philosophy, national economy, political sciences and history in Marburg
, Vienna and Humboldt University of Berlin
. He received a doctorate in 1933 in Berlin with the work the fight for the Saar 1860 – 1870 and in 1936 received a Habilitation
with a work on the Saarland Industrialist Carl Ferdinand von Stumm-Halberg. From 1933 to 1939 he worked in the Saarbrücken Chamber of Commerce and Industry. From 1937 he was also a lecturer at the Saarbrücken teacher training university. In 1939/1940 Hellwig was managing director of the iron production organisation in Düsseldorf
and until 1943 of the iron and steel producing industry in the southwest district. He was called up to serve in the armed forces in 1943 and served until 1947.
After his dismissal from the army, Hellwig became an economic adviser in Duesseldorf and Duisburg
. From 1951 to 1959 he was acting director of the German industrial institute in Cologne
and also chairman of the “German Saarbundes”. His analysis had crucial influence on the "Saarpolitik" of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer
.
but in 1947 he joined the CDU
and immediately became a member of the political-economic committee for the Rhineland
. Later he was selected for the federal committee for economic policy and the federal promotion of the CDU. Hellwig was among the authors of the 1949 CDU publication Düsseldorfer Leitsätze (the Düsseldorf guiding principles).
II constituency in the Bundestag
from 1953 to November 1959. From 21 September 1956 he was chairman of the Bundestag committee on economic policy
. From 1953 to 1956 Hellwig was also a deputy delegate for the Council of Europe
. In addition Dr. Hellwig was a member of the early European Parliament
from 25 February 1959 to 14 September 1959.
. When this was merged in 1967 with the Commission of European Economic Community
he became a vice-president of the new Rey Commission
and European Commissioner for Science & Research
.
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...
politician and European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
. He was born in Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
.
Early life
Hellwig was born in the area known today as the SaarlandSaarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
province, known at that time as the Rhine Province
Rhine Province
The Rhine Province , also known as Rhenish Prussia or synonymous to the Rhineland , was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822-1946. It was created from the provinces of the Lower Rhine and Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
. After finishing school in 1930 in Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
he studied philosophy, national economy, political sciences and history in Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
, Vienna and Humboldt University of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
. He received a doctorate in 1933 in Berlin with the work the fight for the Saar 1860 – 1870 and in 1936 received a Habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
with a work on the Saarland Industrialist Carl Ferdinand von Stumm-Halberg. From 1933 to 1939 he worked in the Saarbrücken Chamber of Commerce and Industry. From 1937 he was also a lecturer at the Saarbrücken teacher training university. In 1939/1940 Hellwig was managing director of the iron production organisation in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
and until 1943 of the iron and steel producing industry in the southwest district. He was called up to serve in the armed forces in 1943 and served until 1947.
After his dismissal from the army, Hellwig became an economic adviser in Duesseldorf and Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
. From 1951 to 1959 he was acting director of the German industrial institute in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and also chairman of the “German Saarbundes”. His analysis had crucial influence on the "Saarpolitik" of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,...
.
Party Politics
At first Hellwig had belonged to the Centre PartyCentre Party (Germany)
The German Centre Party was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich and the Weimar Republic. Formed in 1870, it battled the Kulturkampf which the Prussian government launched to reduce the power of the Catholic Church...
but in 1947 he joined the 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...
and immediately became a member of the political-economic committee for the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
. Later he was selected for the federal committee for economic policy and the federal promotion of the CDU. Hellwig was among the authors of the 1949 CDU publication Düsseldorfer Leitsätze (the Düsseldorf guiding principles).
Public Representative
Dr. Hellwig represented the CologneCologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
II constituency in 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 1953 to November 1959. From 21 September 1956 he was chairman of the Bundestag committee on economic policy
Economic policy
Economic policy refers to the actions that governments take in the economic field. It covers the systems for setting interest rates and government budget as well as the labor market, national ownership, and many other areas of government interventions into the economy.Such policies are often...
. From 1953 to 1956 Hellwig was also a deputy delegate for the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
. In addition Dr. Hellwig was a member of the early European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
from 25 February 1959 to 14 September 1959.
Public Office
Hellwig left the Bundestag to become a member of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel CommunityEuropean Coal and Steel Community
The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union...
. When this was merged in 1967 with the Commission of European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
he became a vice-president of the new Rey Commission
Rey Commission
The Rey Commission is the European Commission that held office from 2 July 1967 to 30 June 1970. Its President was Jean Rey.-Work:It was the first Commission of the merged European Communities. It was the successor to the Hallstein Commission and was succeeded by the Malfatti Commission...
and European Commissioner for Science & Research
European Commissioner for Science & Research
The Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science is a portfolio within the European Commission. The current commissioner is Máire Geoghegan-Quinn ....
.
Publications
- The fight for the Saar 1860 – 1870. Contributions to the Rhine politics Napoléons third , Berlin 1933.
- Carl baron von Stumm-Halberg , Habilitation, Heidelberg/Saarbrücken, 1936.
- Lorraine steel instead of Ruhr steel? , Duesseldorf 1947.
- The economic entwinements of the Saar , Duesseldorf 1947.
- Konrad Adenauer. To 125. Birthday , in: Historical-political reports, number 8, 2001, pages 1 – 10.
- European integration from historical experience , a time witness discussion with Michael Gehler, Bonn 2004 ISBN 3-936183-29-5 (pdf; 0.6 MT).