Walter Scheel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walter Scheel
Walter Scheel in 1974
President of Germany (West Germany)
In office 1 July 1974 – 30 June 1979
Chancellor	Helmut Schmidt
Preceded by	Gustav Heinemann
Succeeded by	Karl Carstens
Chancellor of Germany (West Germany) Acting
In office 7 May 1974 – 16 May 1974
Preceded by	Willy Brandt
Succeeded by	Helmut Schmidt
Vice Chancellor of Germany (West Germany)
In office 21 October 1969 – 16 May 1974
Chancellor	Willy Brandt
Preceded by	Willy Brandt
Succeeded by	Hans-Dietrich Genscher
Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 21 October 1969 – 16 May 1974
Chancellor	Willy Brandt
Preceded by	Willy Brandt
Succeeded by	Hans-Dietrich Genscher
Vice President of the Bundestag
In office 1967–1969
Preceded by	Thomas Dehler
Succeeded by	Liselotte Funcke
Member of the European Parliament for West Germany
In office 1 July 1956 – 20 November 1961
Member of the Bundestag
In office 6 September 1953 – 27 June 1974
Personal details
Born	(1919-07-08)8 July 1919 Solingen, Weimar Republic
Died	24 August 2016(2016-08-24) (aged 97) Bad Krozingen, Germany
Political party	Free Democratic Party
Other political affiliations	Nazi Party (1942–1945)
Spouses	Eva Charlotte Kronenberg ​ ​ (m. 1942⁠–⁠1966)​ Mildred Wirtz ​ ​ (m. 1969⁠–⁠1985)​ Barbara Wiese ​ ​ (m. 1988⁠–⁠2016)​
Children	Ulrich Cornelia Simon Martin Andrea-Gwendoline
Signature

Walter Scheel (born July 8, 1919 – died August 24, 2016) was an important German politician. He was a member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP). He held many high positions in the West German government. He served as the President of West Germany from 1974 to 1979.

Walter Scheel's Early Life and Career

Walter Scheel was born in Solingen, a city in Germany. During World War II, he was a member of the Nazi Party. He served in the Luftwaffe, which was Germany's air force. In the last years of the war, he worked as a radar operator. He flew on a Me 110 night fighter plane.

Becoming a Federal Minister

After the war, Scheel became very active in politics. From 1961 to 1966, he was the federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development. This job involved helping other countries develop.

In 1966, he convinced his party, the FDP, to leave the government. This led to new elections in Germany. After these elections, Kurt Georg Kiesinger became the new chancellor.

Key Political Roles

In 1969, Walter Scheel's party formed a new government. They joined with the Social Democrats. In this new government, Scheel became the Foreign Minister. He also became the Vice Chancellor.

Foreign Policy and Treaties

As Foreign Minister, Scheel worked closely with Chancellor Willy Brandt. They developed a new foreign policy. This policy was called Ostpolitik. It aimed to improve relations with Eastern European countries.

Part of this policy involved signing treaties. These treaties confirmed the borders of West Germany. For example, a treaty with Poland defined Poland's western border. This was important for peace in Europe.

Acting Chancellor and President

In May 1974, Chancellor Willy Brandt resigned. Walter Scheel then became the acting Chancellor for a short time. He held this role for about a week. After that, Helmut Schmidt was elected as the new Chancellor.

Walter Scheel with Jimmy Carter

A few weeks later, Walter Scheel was elected Federal President of West Germany. This is a very important role. He served as President from July 1974 until June 1979.

Life After the Presidency

After his term as President ended in 1979, Walter Scheel retired from active political life. Like many former German presidents, he mostly stayed out of daily politics. However, he sometimes appeared on political talk shows. He also attended special events.

Walter Scheel's Passing

Walter Scheel passed away on August 24, 2016. He had been ill for a long time. He lived to be 97 years, 47 days years old. This makes him the longest-lived German head of state. This includes both emperors and elected leaders.

See also

In Spanish: Walter Scheel para niños