Ernst Reuter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ernst Reuter
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| Governing Mayor of Berlin (West Berlin) |
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| In office 1 February 1951 – 29 September 1953 |
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| President | Theodor Heuss |
| Chancellor | Konrad Adenauer |
| Preceded by | Himself (as Lord Mayor of Greater Berlin) |
| Succeeded by | Walther Schreiber |
| Lord Mayor of Greater Berlin (West Berlin only) |
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| In office 24 June 1947 – 1 February 1951 |
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| Preceded by | Otto Ostrowski Louise Schroeder (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as Governing Mayor of Berlin) |
| Chairman of the Volga German Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic | |
| In office October 1918 – March 1919 |
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| Succeeded by | Adam Reichert |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ernst Rudolf Johannes Reuter
29 July 1889 Apenrade, Province of Schleswig-Holstein, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (Present-day Aabenraa, Denmark) |
| Died | 29 September 1953 (aged 64) West Berlin, West Germany (Present-day Berlin, Germany) |
| Resting place | Waldfriedhof Zehlendorf |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Hanna Kleinert |
| Children | Edzard Reuter |
| Alma mater | Philipps-Universität Marburg |
Ernst Rudolf Johannes Reuter (born July 29, 1889 – died September 29, 1953) was a very important German politician. He is best known for being the mayor of West Berlin from 1948 to 1953. This was a difficult time during the Cold War, when Berlin was divided. Reuter became a symbol of freedom for West Berlin.
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Ernst Reuter's Early Life
Ernst Reuter was born in a town called Apenrade (now Aabenraa in Denmark). He grew up in Leer, Germany, where a public square is now named after him. He studied at the universities of Münster and Marburg, finishing his studies in 1912. In the same year, he joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), a political party.
When World War I began, Reuter did not agree with the government's actions. He was drafted into the army and sent to fight on the Eastern front. There, he was injured and captured by Russian forces. During the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, Reuter joined the Bolsheviks, a revolutionary political group. After he was released, Vladimir Lenin, a leader of the Bolsheviks, sent him to Saratov. He worked there as a "People's Commissar" in a region that would become the Volga German Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
Political Career in Germany
After returning to Germany, Reuter joined the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). He became the First Secretary for the party in Berlin. However, he disagreed with some of the party's leaders and was later asked to leave the party in 1922. He then briefly joined another socialist party before returning to the Social Democrats for good.
In 1926, Reuter started working for the Berlin government. He was in charge of public transportation. He helped create the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), which manages Berlin's public transport. He also introduced a single ticket for all public transport and helped expand the Berlin subway system.
From 1931 to 1933, Reuter served as the mayor of Magdeburg. During this time, he worked to solve problems like a lack of housing and jobs, which were caused by a big economic crisis. He was also elected as a member of the Reichstag, which was the German parliament.
Facing the Nazis and Exile
In 1933, the Nazi Party came to power in Germany. Reuter was forced to leave his government jobs because he opposed the Nazis. He was even sent to a concentration camp called Lichtenburg. After his release, he had to leave Germany for his safety.
In 1935, Reuter went into exile in Turkey. He stayed there until the end of the Nazi era. In Ankara, the capital of Turkey, he taught at the University of Ankara. He also helped introduce urban planning as a subject at the university and advised the Turkish government.
Leading Post-War Berlin
After World War II ended, Ernst Reuter returned to Berlin. In 1946, he was elected to the city's governing body, where he first oversaw the Transportation Department again. In 1947, he was elected as the Lord Mayor of Berlin. However, because of the growing tensions of the Cold War, the Soviet government did not approve his election.
Reuter became famous for his strong leadership during the Berlin Blockade in 1948-1949. During this time, the Soviet Union blocked all land and water routes into West Berlin. This meant no food, fuel, or supplies could get in. The western parts of the city were kept alive by the Berlin airlift, where planes flew in supplies.
Ernst Reuter became the voice and leader of the people in West Berlin. He gave a very powerful speech on September 9, 1948, in front of the damaged Reichstag building. He spoke to a huge crowd of 300,000 people, asking the world not to abandon Berlin. His speech helped rally support for the city.
Two months later, an election was held in West Berlin. Reuter's popularity was so high that his party, the SPD, won a record 64.5% of the votes. As mayor, he formed a special government with other parties to show that West Berlin was united. The airlift saved the city, and Reuter became a well-known figure around the world. He was even featured on the cover of Time magazine, where he was called "Herr Berlin."
When West Berlin got its new state constitution, Reuter was re-elected. On January 18, 1951, he became the Governing Mayor of West Berlin. He continued to serve in this important role until his death.
Under his leadership, the Free University of Berlin was founded. This was important because the original University of Berlin was in the Soviet-controlled sector and under communist rule. In 1953, Reuter also started the "Bürgermeister-Reuter-Stiftung" (Mayor Reuter Foundation) to help refugees coming to West Berlin.
Ernst Reuter passed away suddenly from a heart attack in West Berlin in 1953. He was 64 years old. His funeral was attended by over a million people, showing how much he was respected. He was honored with a special grave in the Waldfriedhof Zehlendorf cemetery.
Reuter's Family
Ernst Reuter had a younger half-brother named Otto Sigfrid Reuter. Ernst Reuter was married in 1920 to Lotte (Charlotte), and they had two children, Hella and Harry. Harry later became a British citizen and a professor of mathematics. Harry's son, Timothy, became a well-known historian. Ernst Reuter later remarried Hanna, and they had one son, Edzard Reuter, who became the CEO of Daimler-Benz, a famous car company.
Honours and Legacy
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Many things in Berlin and Germany are named after Ernst Reuter to remember his contributions:
- Ernst-Reuter-Plakette (Ernst Reuter Medal): This is the highest award given by the City of Berlin. It was created in 1954 for people who have greatly helped the city.
- Ernst-Reuter-Gesellschaft (Ernst Reuter Association): This group was founded in 1954 by former students and friends of the Free University of Berlin. They give out an annual "Ernst-Reuter-Preis" for excellent university papers and offer "Ernst-Reuter-Stipends" for students to study abroad.
- Memorial Plaques: Places where Reuter lived, like Hardenbergstraße 35 and Bülowstraße 33 in Berlin, have special plaques to remember him.
- Places Named After Him: Many places in Berlin are named after Ernst Reuter, including:
- a major public square and subway station called Ernst-Reuter-Platz (Berlin U-Bahn)
- a government building
- a school
- a youth hostel
Other towns in Germany also have streets or schools named after him.
In 1959, the United States Postal Service honored Reuter with two stamps as part of their "Champion of Liberty" series.
Famous Quote
- "Ihr Völker der Welt ... Schaut auf diese Stadt und erkennt, dass ihr diese Stadt und dieses Volk nicht preisgeben dürft, nicht preisgeben könnt!"
- This means: "People of this world... look upon this city and see that you should not, cannot abandon this city and this people!" —Reuter's speech from September 9, 1948 (German)
See also
In Spanish: Ernst Reuter para niños
