Thomas Schäfer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Schäfer
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Thomas Schäfer in 2019
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| Minister of Finance in Hesse | |
| In office 31 August 2010 – 28 March 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Karlheinz Weimar |
| Succeeded by | Michael Boddenberg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 February 1966 Hemer, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany |
| Died | 28 March 2020 (aged 54) Hochheim am Main, Hesse, Germany |
| Political party | CDU |
| Alma mater | University of Marburg |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Thomas Schäfer (born February 22, 1966 – died March 28, 2020) was a German lawyer and a politician. He was a member of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) political party. From 2010 to 2020, he served as the Minister of Finance for the German state of Hesse.
Early Life and Education
Thomas Schäfer was born in Hemer, Germany. He grew up in a town called Biedenkopf. After finishing high school in 1985, he trained to be a banker. He worked at a local savings bank called Sparkasse Marburg-Biedenkopf.
Schäfer then went on to study law at the University of Marburg. He finished his law degree in 1997. From 1995 to 1998, he also taught law at an academy in Marburg. In 1998, he started working as a lawyer for a bank called Commerzbank in Frankfurt am Main. He earned a special advanced degree in law, called a doctorate, in 1999.
Political Journey
Thomas Schäfer began his political career in 1980. He joined the Junge Union, which is the youth organization of the CDU/CSU parties. He was a board member for this group for many years.
After a state election in Hesse in 1999, Schäfer started working in government. He led the office for the Minister of Justice, Christean Wagner. Later, from 2002, he worked for the Minister President, Roland Koch. From 2005 to 2009, he was a Secretary of State. This role is like a senior assistant to a minister.
During the worldwide financial crisis around 2007-2008, Schäfer helped coordinate efforts. He worked with other states to help the car company Opel, which had factories in Germany. In 2009, he became the Secretary of State for the Minister of Finance.
Minister of Finance
In August 2010, Thomas Schäfer became the Minister of Finance for Hesse. He was in charge of the state's money and budget. He worked under the new Minister President, Volker Bouffier.
Schäfer also became a member of the Hessischer Landtag in 2014. This is the state parliament, where laws are made. In 2018, he was re-elected directly by voters. Many people thought he might become the next Minister President of Hesse.
Just before his death, on March 27, 2020, he announced financial help for businesses. This was to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic. He famously said that the fight against the crisis would not fail because of money.
Passing Away
Thomas Schäfer passed away on March 28, 2020. His death was a shock to many. Days before, he had said that his work was a "pleasure and an honour." He was known for his good sense of humor. He was concerned about managing the state's financial response to the coronavirus pandemic. He is survived by his wife and two children. Michael Boddenberg took over his role as Minister of Finance.
See also
In Spanish: Thomas Schäfer para niños
