Rudolf Seiters
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Seiters is a German
politician
of the CDU
(Christian Democratic Union) party.
From 1989-1991, he was Federal Minister for Special Affairs
and the Head of the Office of the German Chancellery
. From 1991-1993, he was the Minister of the Interior
. From 1998-2002, he was the Vice President
of the German Bundestag
, or Parliament. Since 2003, he has been the President of the German Red Cross
.
Carolinium in Osnabrück in 1959, Seiters graduated from the University of Münster
with a degree in Jurisprudence
, finishing his first examinations (roughly equivalent to bachelor's degree
) in 1963, and his second examination (professional degree) in 1967. From 1968-69, he was a legal assistant in the office of the Osnabrück Department of the Economy and Social Housing. Since November 2003, he has been the President of the German Red Cross.
He is married with three daughters and lives in Papenburg
. In 2000, he was given an honorary doctorate from the Bundeswehr University Munich.
. From 1963 till 1965, he was the Borough-president of the Osnabrück-Emsland
chapter of the CDU youth organization Junge Union
. Then, from 1965-1968, he was the of the president of the state chapter in Hannover and from 1968-1971 of the newly founded Lower Saxony
chapter. From 1967-1971, he was furthermore a member of the Federal Executive Board of the Junge Union and then from 1971-1973 a member of the Federal Managing Board of the CDU itself. From 1972-1998, he was deputy secretary of the CDU in Lower Saxony and from 1992-1998 also a member of the CDU National Executive Committee.
. There, he served from 1971-1976 and from 1982-1984 as an Executive Officer (Geschäftsfuehrer) of the CDU/CSU
parliamentary fraction and from 1984-1989 he was the Party's fraction Head Executive Officer. After the elections
in 1994, he became the deputy Chair of the party's Bundestag fraction, a position he retained until 1998 when he became the Vice President of the Bundestag
and the Head of the Office of the German Chancellery
. Then, on 26 November 1991, he was the Minister of the Interior
. On 27 June 1993, in a German Police raid in the train station of the mecklenburg
ian town of Bad Kleinen
, both the wanted terrorist of the Red Army Faction
(RAF), Wolfgang Grams
, and a GSG 9
agent, Michael Newrzella
, lost their lives. Seiters took responsibility for the raid and stepped down on 4 July 1993.
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 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...
(Christian Democratic Union) party.
From 1989-1991, he was Federal Minister for Special Affairs
Federal Minister for Special Affairs of Germany
A Federal Minister for Special Affairs is a federal minister without portfolio of Germany.Currently, the title is commonly given to the head of the Chancellery to provide him with a vote in cabinet meetings...
and the Head of the Office of the German Chancellery
German Chancellery
The German Chancellery is a federal agency serving the executive office of the Chancellor, the head of the German federal government. The chief of the Chancellery holds the rank of either a Secretary of State or a Federal Minister ...
. From 1991-1993, he was the Minister of the Interior
Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany)
The Federal Ministry of the Interior is a ministry of the German federal government. Its main office is in Berlin, with a secondary seat in Bonn. The current minister of the interior is Dr...
. From 1998-2002, he was the Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of the German 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...
, or Parliament. Since 2003, he has been the President of the German Red Cross
German Red Cross
The German Red Cross , or the DRK, is the national Red Cross Society in Germany.With over 4.5 million members, it is the third largest Red Cross society in the world. The German Red Cross offers a wide range of services within and outside Germany...
.
Life and jobs
After graduating from the GymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
Carolinium in Osnabrück in 1959, Seiters graduated from the University of Münster
University of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
with a degree in Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
, finishing his first examinations (roughly equivalent to bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
) in 1963, and his second examination (professional degree) in 1967. From 1968-69, he was a legal assistant in the office of the Osnabrück Department of the Economy and Social Housing. Since November 2003, he has been the President of the German Red Cross.
He is married with three daughters and lives in Papenburg
Papenburg
Papenburg is a city in the district of Emsland in Lower Saxony, Germany, situated at the river Ems. It is known for its large shipyard, the Meyer-Werft, which specializes in building cruise liners.-Districts:...
. In 2000, he was given an honorary doctorate from the Bundeswehr University Munich.
Party
Since 1958, he has been a member of the CDUChristian 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...
. From 1963 till 1965, he was the Borough-president of the Osnabrück-Emsland
Emsland
Landkreis Emsland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany named after the river Ems. It is bounded by the districts of Leer, Cloppenburg and Osnabrück, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia , the district of Bentheim and the Netherlands .- History :For a long time the region of the Emsland was...
chapter of the CDU youth organization Junge Union
Junge Union
The Junge Union Deutschlands or JU is the jointyouth organisation of the two conservative German political parties CDU and CSU...
. Then, from 1965-1968, he was the of the president of the state chapter in Hannover and from 1968-1971 of the newly founded Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
chapter. From 1967-1971, he was furthermore a member of the Federal Executive Board of the Junge Union and then from 1971-1973 a member of the Federal Managing Board of the CDU itself. From 1972-1998, he was deputy secretary of the CDU in Lower Saxony and from 1992-1998 also a member of the CDU National Executive Committee.
As a representative
From 1969-2002, Mr. Seiters was a member of the German Parliament, the BundestagBundestag
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...
. There, he served from 1971-1976 and from 1982-1984 as an Executive Officer (Geschäftsfuehrer) of the CDU/CSU
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
parliamentary fraction and from 1984-1989 he was the Party's fraction Head Executive Officer. After the elections
German federal election, 1994
The 13th German federal election, 1994 was conducted on October 16, 1994, to elect members to the Bundestag of the Federal Republic of Germany.-Issues and Campaign:The SPD let its members elect a candidate for Chancellor against Helmut Kohl...
in 1994, he became the deputy Chair of the party's Bundestag fraction, a position he retained until 1998 when he became the Vice President of the Bundestag
Prague embassy negotiations
In 1989, thousands of East Germans took refuge the Prague embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. Rudolf Seiters successfully negotiated with the East German government (DDR) the passage of the embassy refugees to the Federal Republic of Germany.In the cabinet
Mr. Seiters was named on 21 April 1989 as the Federal Minister for Special AffairsFederal Minister for Special Affairs of Germany
A Federal Minister for Special Affairs is a federal minister without portfolio of Germany.Currently, the title is commonly given to the head of the Chancellery to provide him with a vote in cabinet meetings...
and the Head of the Office of the German Chancellery
German Chancellery
The German Chancellery is a federal agency serving the executive office of the Chancellor, the head of the German federal government. The chief of the Chancellery holds the rank of either a Secretary of State or a Federal Minister ...
. Then, on 26 November 1991, he was the Minister of the Interior
Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany)
The Federal Ministry of the Interior is a ministry of the German federal government. Its main office is in Berlin, with a secondary seat in Bonn. The current minister of the interior is Dr...
. On 27 June 1993, in a German Police raid in the train station of the mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
ian town of Bad Kleinen
Bad Kleinen
Bad Kleinen is a municipality in the Nordwestmecklenburg district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located on the north bank of the Schweriner See.-Geography:...
, both the wanted terrorist of the Red Army Faction
Red Army Faction
The radicalized were, like many in the New Left, influenced by:* Sociological developments, pressure within the educational system in and outside Europe and the U.S...
(RAF), Wolfgang Grams
Wolfgang Grams
Wolfgang Grams was a member of the Red Army Faction, a German far-left terrorist organisation.-Life:Wolfgang Grams was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. His parents, Werner and Ruth Grams, were expelled from the east. Werner Grams volunteered for service in the Waffen-SS...
, and a GSG 9
GSG 9
The GSG 9 der Bundespolizei , is the elite counter-terrorism and special operations unit of the German Federal Police.-History and name:...
agent, Michael Newrzella
Michael Newrzella
Michael Newrzella was a German police officer and member of the GSG 9, the counter-terrorism and special operations unit of the German Federal Police...
, lost their lives. Seiters took responsibility for the raid and stepped down on 4 July 1993.