Franz Josef Strauß facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Franz Josef Strauß
Strauß in 1982
Minister-President of Bavaria
In office 6 November 1978 – 3 October 1988
Preceded by	Alfons Goppel
Succeeded by	Max Streibl
Federal Minister of Finance
In office 2 December 1966 – 22 October 1969
Preceded by	Kurt Schmücker
Succeeded by	Alex Möller
Federal Minister of Defence
In office 16 October 1956 – 16 December 1962
Preceded by	Theodor Blank
Succeeded by	Kai-Uwe von Hassel
Federal Minister for Atomic Affairs
In office 21 October 1955 – 16 October 1956
Succeeded by	Siegfried Balke
Federal Minister for Special Affairs
In office 1953–1955
Personal details
Born	(1915-09-06)6 September 1915 Munich
Died	3 October 1988(1988-10-03) (aged 73) Regensburg
Nationality	German
Political party	CSU
Spouse	Marianne Zwicknagl
Children	Max Josef Franz Georg Monika
Signature

Franz Josef Strauß (born September 6, 1915 – died October 3, 1988) was an important German politician. He was a member of the CSU party. He served as the Minister-President (like a state governor) of the German state of Bavaria. People sometimes called him the "Strong Man of Europe" because of his influence.

Franz Josef Strauß: A German Politician

Early Life and Education

Franz Josef Strauß was born in Munich, Germany. His father was a butcher. He studied at the University of Munich from 1935 to 1939. During his studies, he had to join the NSDStB (National Socialist German Students' League). This was a rule for all students at that time.

Military Service in World War II

During World War II, Strauß served in the German army. He fought on both the Western and Eastern Fronts. In late 1942, he got severe frostbite on the Eastern Front. Because of this injury, he became a political officer at an anti-aircraft artillery school. After the war, he changed his name to Franz Josef Strauß.

Family Life

In 1957, Strauß married Marianne Zwicknagl. They had three children: Max Josef, Franz Georg, and Monika. His daughter, Monika, also became a politician in Bavaria.

Starting a Political Career

After World War II, the American army appointed Strauß as a local leader in Schongau. He helped create the local branch of the CSU party there. This was the start of his long political journey.

Becoming a Federal Minister

In 1949, Strauß became a member of the first Bundestag (Germany's federal parliament). He quickly rose through the ranks. In 1953, he became the Federal Minister for Special Affairs. Later, in 1955, he was appointed Federal Minister of Nuclear Energy. In 1956, he became the defence minister. As defence minister, he played a key role in building up the new German army, called the Bundeswehr. He became the leader of the CSU party in 1961.

Role as Finance Minister

In 1966, Strauß became the Minister of Finance. He worked with Karl Schiller, who was the economy minister from the SPD. However, in 1969, the SPD formed a government without the CDU/CSU. Strauß then lost his job as finance minister. He often criticized the new government's foreign policy, known as Ostpolitik.

Running for Chancellor

In 1976, there was a disagreement between the CDU and CSU parties. Strauß ended their alliance in the Bundestag for a short time. He only restarted it when the CDU threatened to expand their party into Bavaria.

In the 1980 federal election, Strauß ran as the candidate for Chancellor for the CDU/CSU parties. Some people believed this showed that the CDU and CSU leaders thought he was the best choice. Others thought it was a difficult election to win, and they had nothing to lose by letting Strauß run.

Leading Bavaria

From 1978 until his death in 1988, Strauß served as the Minister-President of Bavaria. He also served as the President of the Bundesrat (a council of German states) in 1983-1984. Even after leaving federal politics, he continued to share his opinions on national issues from Bavaria. He often disagreed with Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

Loan to East Germany

In 1983, Strauß helped arrange a large loan of 3 billion Deutschmarks for East Germany. This decision was not popular with everyone.

Rare Visit to Albania

On August 21, 1984, Strauß visited communist Albania. At that time, Albania was a very closed country, ruled by a strict dictator named Enver Hoxha. Strauß was one of the few Western leaders to visit Albania in many decades. Some people thought this visit might help start diplomatic talks between Albania and West Germany, but nothing major came from it.

Franz Josef Strauß

Death

On October 1, 1988, Franz Josef Strauß collapsed while hunting near Regensburg. He died in a hospital in Regensburg on October 3, without waking up.

Legacy and Impact

Franz Josef Strauß was a very important figure in Germany after World War II. He was known for his strong opinions and powerful speeches. He was a conservative leader who often made people with different political views angry.

Strauß helped change Bavaria from a mostly farming state into a modern center for technology in Germany. He was very interested in aerospace and supported the development of the Airbus in the 1970s. Because of his contributions, the new Munich Airport was named the Franz Josef Strauß International Airport in 1992.

Images for kids

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  F. J. Strauß and K. Schiller

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  Strauss during a 1963 visit to Israel

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  Strauss speaking at the CDU party meeting in 1986

See also

In Spanish: Franz Josef Strauß para niños