Heinrich von Brentano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heinrich von Brentano
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Brentano in 1960
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| Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 6 June 1955 – 30 October 1961 |
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| Chancellor | Konrad Adenauer |
| Preceded by | Konrad Adenauer |
| Succeeded by | Gerhard Schröder |
| Leader of the CDU/CSU Group in the Bundestag | |
| In office 24 November 1961 – 14 November 1964 |
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| Deputy | Werner Dollinger Franz Josef Strauß |
| Preceded by | Heinrich Krone |
| Succeeded by | Rainer Barzel |
| In office 30 September 1949 – 15 June 1955 |
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| Deputy | Franz Josef Strauß Richard Stücklen |
| Preceded by | Konrad Adenauer |
| Succeeded by | Heinrich Krone |
| Member of the Bundestag for Bergstraße |
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| In office 14 August 1949 – 14 November 1964 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Carl Otto Lenz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 June 1904 Offenbach, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, German Empire |
| Died | 14 November 1964 (aged 60) Darmstadt, Hesse, West Germany |
| Political party | Christian Democratic Union (CDU) |
| Alma mater | University of Giessen |
Heinrich Joseph Maximilian Johann Maria von Brentano di Tremezzo (born June 20, 1904 – died November 14, 1964) was an important German politician. He was a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. From 1955 to 1961, he served as Germany's Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs. This means he was in charge of Germany's relationships with other countries.
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Early Life and Education
Heinrich von Brentano was born in Offenbach am Main, Germany. His father, Otto von Brentano, was also a politician. The Brentano family originally came from Italy. They settled in Germany in the 1600s. They were known for being close to famous German writers. These writers included Goethe and Arnim. Heinrich was related to poets like Clemens Brentano and Bettina von Arnim. His older brother, Bernard von Brentano, was also a writer.
After finishing school in 1922, Heinrich studied law. He went to the University of Munich and later received his doctorate from the University of Giessen. He started working as a lawyer in Darmstadt in 1932. Later, from 1943 to 1945, he worked as a public prosecutor in Hanau.
Heinrich von Brentano passed away at the age of 60. He was buried in Darmstadt.
Political Career
After World War II, Heinrich von Brentano helped start the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in the German state of Hesse. In 1946, he became a member of the state parliament, called the Landtag of Hesse. By 1947, he was leading the CDU group in that parliament.
He also helped write the new constitution for West Germany. This important document is called the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1949, he won a seat in the Bundestag, which is the German federal parliament. He represented the Bergstraße area.
Brentano was a key leader in the Bundestag. He led the CDU/CSU group from 1949 to 1955. He took on this leadership role again from 1961 until his death.
Working for Europe
Heinrich von Brentano was very involved in building a united Europe. He was a member of the European Movement Germany. He also participated in the European Common Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He played an important part in creating the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC was a group of European countries that worked together on economic matters. It was a big step towards the European Union we know today.
Germany's Foreign Minister
In 1955, Germany gained more independence after the Allied occupation ended. Chancellor Konrad Adenauer suggested that Brentano become the new Foreign Minister of Germany. Before this, Chancellor Adenauer had held the position himself.
Brentano served as Foreign Minister until 1961. He resigned when Chancellor Adenauer had to form a new government with another party. After Brentano, his party colleague Gerhard Schröder became the new Foreign Minister.
Honours
Heinrich von Brentano received special recognition for his work.
He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Christ from Portugal in 1958.
See also
In Spanish: Heinrich von Brentano para niños
