Walther Leisler Kiep facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walther Leisler Kiep
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Walther Leisler Kiep in 1973
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Walther Gottlieb Louis Leisler Kiep
5 January 1926 Hamburg, Germany |
| Died | 9 May 2016 (aged 90) Kronberg im Taunus, Germany |
| Political party | CDU |
| Spouse | Charlotte Kiep |
| Children | 4 |
| Occupation | Insurance salesman |
Walther Leisler Kiep (born January 5, 1926, died May 9, 2016) was an important German politician. He was a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. Kiep served in the German parliament, called the Bundestag, for many years. He also worked as a minister in the state government of Lower Saxony. Later, he ran for a top political job in his hometown of Hamburg. For a long time, he was also the main money manager, or treasurer, for his political party.
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About Walther Leisler Kiep
Walther Leisler Kiep was born in Hamburg, Germany, on January 5, 1926. He came from a family that believed in liberal ideas. His father, Louis Leisler Kiep, was a navy captain and a businessman. His mother was Eugenie Maria Anna vom Rath. Kiep's family had a history in politics. His grandfather, Walther vom Rath, was a member of parliament in Prussia. Kiep's middle name, "Leisler," came from an ancestor named Jacob Leisler. Jacob Leisler was a German colonist who was involved in early movements for independence in New York.
Kiep went to school in Hamburg and Istanbul. He finished school in 1943. After that, he joined the German army, the Wehrmacht. In 1944, he became a member of the Nazi Party. Sadly, in the same year, his uncle, Otto Carl Kiep, was killed by the Nazis. His uncle was part of a group called the Kreisau Circle, which was against the Nazis. After World War II, Kiep started studying history and economics, but he did not finish his studies.
His Work Before Politics
Before he became a politician, Walther Kiep worked in the insurance business. From 1948 to 1955, he worked for the Insurance Company of North America. Then, in 1955, he started working for a company called Gradmann und Holler. This company helped large businesses with their insurance. Kiep owned a part of this company. He also served on the board of directors for the car company Volkswagen. Because he was very successful in business, many people thought Kiep was one of the richest politicians in Germany.
His Family Life
Walther Kiep married Charlotte Kiep in 1950. They had known each other since Kiep was 13 years old. Together, they had four children: sons Walther and Michael, and daughters Charlotte and Christiane. Their second son, Michael Jürgen, passed away in 1975 when he was 24. After his death, Kiep and his wife started a foundation to help young journalists. Kiep also had a stepson named Edmund from his wife's previous marriage.
In 1974, someone tried to hurt Kiep. A person fired shots at the door of his sauna. Luckily, Kiep was not injured. The person who did this was never found.
Walther Kiep's Political Journey
Walther Kiep joined the CDU party in 1961. He quickly became involved in local politics.
Serving in Parliament
In 1965, Kiep became a member of the Bundestag, which is Germany's national parliament. He won his seat in the Obertaunus area. He kept his seat in the Bundestag after elections in 1969 and 1972. In 1972, Kiep supported a treaty between West and East Germany. This treaty was called the Basic Treaty. He was one of only a few CDU politicians who voted for it. Other important politicians like Richard von Weizsäcker also supported it.
In 1976, Kiep left the Bundestag to work in the state government of Lower Saxony. He returned to the Bundestag in 1980. He left parliament again in 1982 to focus on running for a top job in Hamburg.
Working as a Minister in Lower Saxony
In 1976, the government in the German state of Lower Saxony changed. Ernst Albrecht became the new leader, or minister-president. Albrecht asked Kiep to join his government. Kiep became the minister for economy and finance. He stayed as minister of finance until 1980.
During his time as minister, there was a discussion about where to store radioactive waste in Lower Saxony. In 1977, the state government chose a place called the Gorleben salt dome for this purpose. Kiep was involved in this decision.
Kiep and Minister-President Albrecht were known as liberal members of the CDU. They wanted their party to support new treaties with countries like Poland. This was part of a plan by the CDU leader, Helmut Kohl, to work with another party, the FDP.
In 1978, Kiep helped the German chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, during a money crisis in Turkey. Kiep helped Turkey get a lot of money from different countries. He became friends with the Turkish leader, Bülent Ecevit.
Running for Office in Hamburg
In 1982, Kiep was the main candidate for the CDU in two state elections in his home city of Hamburg. In the first election in June, Kiep's party gained many votes. However, no party won enough votes to form a government easily. So, new elections were held in December. Kiep ran again, but this time, his party lost. The other party, the SPD, won enough votes to form a government on its own.
His Later Years and Death
From 1984 to 2000, Kiep was the chairman of an organization called the Atlantik-Brücke. This group works to improve relations between Germany and the United States. He also served as president of the EBS University of Business and Law from 1994 to 2000. Kiep was also a member of the boards of important companies like Volkswagen and Deutsche Bank.
Walther Kiep passed away on May 9, 2016, at his home in Kronberg im Taunus. He was 90 years old.
Awards and Memberships
Awards
- 1977: Cravat man of the year
- 1994: Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 1998: Lower Saxony Order of Merit
Memberships
- From 1984 to 2000, Kiep was chairman of the Atlantik-Brücke.
- From 1994 to 2000 he served as president of the EBS University of Business and Law.
- He was a member of the International Advisory Boards of Fuji Bank and Columbia University.
- He was also a member of the board of Volkswagen and Deutsche Bank.
Images for kids
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Kiep at a CDU party convention in Cologne, 1983
See also
In Spanish: Walther Leisler Kiep para niños
