Klaus von Dohnanyi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Klaus von Dohnanyi
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von Dohnanyi in 2018
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| First Mayor of Hamburg | |
| In office 24 June 1981 – 8 June 1988 |
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| President | Karl Carstens Richard von Weizsäcker |
| Chancellor | Helmut Schmidt Helmut Kohl |
| Preceded by | Hans-Ulrich Klose |
| Succeeded by | Henning Voscherau |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 June 1928 Hamburg, Germany |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
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Klaus von Dohnanyi (born June 23, 1928) is a German politician. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). He served as the mayor of Hamburg from 1981 to 1988. As of 2024, he is the oldest living former leader of a German state government.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Klaus von Dohnanyi was born in Hamburg, Germany. His mother was Christine von Dohnanyi. His father, Hans von Dohnanyi, was a lawyer. Klaus's uncle was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a famous Lutheran theologian. His grandfather was Ernst von Dohnányi, a well-known Hungarian composer.
Both his father and uncle were part of the German Resistance. They were executed in 1945 for their actions against the Nazi regime. Klaus also has a younger brother, Christoph, who is a conductor. He also has a sister named Barbara.
Education and Early Career
Klaus von Dohnanyi studied law at the University of Munich. He also studied in the United States at Columbia, Stanford, and Yale universities. After his studies, he began his career at the Max Planck Institute for International Private Law.
Later, he worked for the Ford Motor Company, a large car manufacturer. He worked for Ford in both Detroit, USA, and Cologne, Germany. In Cologne, he was in charge of the Planning Division. From 1960 to 1967, he was a managing partner at an institute in Munich. This institute focused on market research and management consulting.
Political Journey and Public Service
In 1969, Klaus von Dohnanyi was elected to the Bundestag. This is the German Parliament. He represented the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. He first worked in the Economics ministry as a state secretary. Later, he became the Federal Minister of Education and Science. He held this position until 1981.
In 1981, Dohnanyi was elected First Mayor of his home city, Hamburg. This made him the Minister-President of Hamburg, which is one of Germany's federal states. He served two terms as First Mayor. His time in office was from June 24, 1981, to June 8, 1988.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall and German unification, Dohnanyi helped with the changes in East Germany. From 1993 to 1996, he was an adviser to the Treuhandanstalt. This organization was in charge of selling off state-owned companies in what used to be East Germany. He also advised its successor company, BvS. Dohnanyi is also a member of the Konvent für Deutschland. This is a group of thinkers from different political parties.
In 2004, Dohnanyi led a government group with Edgar Most. They gave a report to Minister Manfred Stolpe. This report had ideas for how to improve development in eastern Germany.
Other Activities and Interests
Klaus von Dohnanyi has been involved in many other organizations. Here are a few:
- AIESEC Germany: He was a member of their Board of Trustees.
- Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities: He was a member of the Senate for this important academy.
- Bertelsmann Stiftung: He was on the Advisory Board of this foundation from 1989 to 1998.
- Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES): He was a member of their Board of Trustees.
- Hamburger Theaterfestival: He was a member of the Board of Trustees for this theater festival.
See also
In Spanish: Klaus von Dohnanyi para niños
