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Walter Scheel, Leading Figure in West German Thaw With the East, Dies at 97 Walter Scheel, Leading Figure in West German Thaw With the East, Dies at 97
(about 9 hours later)
Walter Scheel, who as foreign minister and deputy chancellor of West Germany under Chancellor Willy Brandt from 1969 to 1974 helped foster détente with the Soviet bloc and rapprochement with Communist East Germany, died on Wednesday in Bad Krozingen, in southwest Germany. He was 97.Walter Scheel, who as foreign minister and deputy chancellor of West Germany under Chancellor Willy Brandt from 1969 to 1974 helped foster détente with the Soviet bloc and rapprochement with Communist East Germany, died on Wednesday in Bad Krozingen, in southwest Germany. He was 97.
The death was confirmed by his political party, the Free Democratic Party, and by the office of Germany’s president, Joachim Gauck. Mr. Scheel served in the largely ceremonial role of president of West Germany until his retirement from politics in 1979. He lived in Bad Krozingen.The death was confirmed by his political party, the Free Democratic Party, and by the office of Germany’s president, Joachim Gauck. Mr. Scheel served in the largely ceremonial role of president of West Germany until his retirement from politics in 1979. He lived in Bad Krozingen.
Although he was one of Bonn’s most durable postwar leaders, Mr. Scheel was overshadowed by the far more dynamic and popular Mr. Brandt, the architect of Ostpolitik, the West German initiatives that led to improved relations with Moscow and its East European allies, and to a Berlin agreement that eased Cold War tensions in 1972 by establishing diplomatic ties between the two Germanys.Although he was one of Bonn’s most durable postwar leaders, Mr. Scheel was overshadowed by the far more dynamic and popular Mr. Brandt, the architect of Ostpolitik, the West German initiatives that led to improved relations with Moscow and its East European allies, and to a Berlin agreement that eased Cold War tensions in 1972 by establishing diplomatic ties between the two Germanys.
The reunification of Germany in 1990, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War followed a long process of Soviet political and economic stagnation and corresponding declines in Soviet influence over European satellites it acquired at the end of World War II. But historians say Ostpolitik played a crucial role as an early catalyst, letting West and East step back from destructive confrontations.The reunification of Germany in 1990, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War followed a long process of Soviet political and economic stagnation and corresponding declines in Soviet influence over European satellites it acquired at the end of World War II. But historians say Ostpolitik played a crucial role as an early catalyst, letting West and East step back from destructive confrontations.
While Mr. Brandt is credited with initiating the reconciliation policies — he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971 — it was Mr. Scheel who brought those policies to fruition at the negotiating table. He hammered out the final versions of the 1970 nonaggression treaties with the Soviet Union and Poland that formed the cornerstones of Bonn’s normalization strategies.While Mr. Brandt is credited with initiating the reconciliation policies — he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971 — it was Mr. Scheel who brought those policies to fruition at the negotiating table. He hammered out the final versions of the 1970 nonaggression treaties with the Soviet Union and Poland that formed the cornerstones of Bonn’s normalization strategies.
Mr. Scheel forged closer West German ties with Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and other Communist states and contributed to the growing political and economic unity of Europe. He also established stronger ties with the United States and members of the NATO. Mr. Scheel forged closer West German ties with Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and other Communist states and contributed to the growing political and economic unity of Europe. He also established stronger ties with the United States and members of NATO.
In a cutaway coat for special occasions or a turtleneck for cocktail parties, he looked every inch the diplomat: a distinguished face, affable and conciliatory; an easy smile for a telling joke, receding gray hair that curled fashionably over his collar at the back. His conversation delved into favorite Bach organ works and modern art, he cultivated epicure tastes, smoked expensive cigars and collected wooden masks from Africa.In a cutaway coat for special occasions or a turtleneck for cocktail parties, he looked every inch the diplomat: a distinguished face, affable and conciliatory; an easy smile for a telling joke, receding gray hair that curled fashionably over his collar at the back. His conversation delved into favorite Bach organ works and modern art, he cultivated epicure tastes, smoked expensive cigars and collected wooden masks from Africa.
But in May 1974, Mr. Brandt was forced to resign when Günter Guillaume, a senior member of his staff, was arrested and exposed as an agent of the East German secret service, the Stasi. With Mr. Brandt’s departure, Mr. Scheel’s career in diplomacy also ended abruptly.But in May 1974, Mr. Brandt was forced to resign when Günter Guillaume, a senior member of his staff, was arrested and exposed as an agent of the East German secret service, the Stasi. With Mr. Brandt’s departure, Mr. Scheel’s career in diplomacy also ended abruptly.
He briefly succeeded Mr. Brandt as chancellor, conducting cabinet meetings and making interim decisions, but he held the reins of government for only a little over a week, until Helmut Schmidt was elected chancellor. Mr. Scheel was then elected president of West Germany, a largely ceremonial post that he kept for five years until he retired from political life in 1979.He briefly succeeded Mr. Brandt as chancellor, conducting cabinet meetings and making interim decisions, but he held the reins of government for only a little over a week, until Helmut Schmidt was elected chancellor. Mr. Scheel was then elected president of West Germany, a largely ceremonial post that he kept for five years until he retired from political life in 1979.
“With his Ostpolitik and his European policy, he has earned lasting credit for understanding and reconciliation in our continent,” President Gauck said in a statement.“With his Ostpolitik and his European policy, he has earned lasting credit for understanding and reconciliation in our continent,” President Gauck said in a statement.
Walter Scheel (pronounced Shale) was born in Solingen, in Germany’s industrial Rhineland, on July 8, 1919. His father was a wheelwright and carriage builder. As a boy, he witnessed street clashes between communists and nationalists in the 1920s. He attended secondary school in Solingen, and after graduating in 1938 became an apprentice at a local merchant bank.Walter Scheel (pronounced Shale) was born in Solingen, in Germany’s industrial Rhineland, on July 8, 1919. His father was a wheelwright and carriage builder. As a boy, he witnessed street clashes between communists and nationalists in the 1920s. He attended secondary school in Solingen, and after graduating in 1938 became an apprentice at a local merchant bank.
In 1939, as World War II began, he was drafted into military service and assigned to the Luftwaffe. He became a cigar-smoking fighter pilot who attained the rank of first lieutenant and who, in action over France and Russia, shot down four Allied combat planes. He was decorated with two Iron Crosses. As World War II began, he was drafted into military service and assigned to the Luftwaffe. He became a cigar-smoking fighter pilot who attained the rank of first lieutenant and who, in action over France and Russia, shot down four Allied combat planes. He was decorated with two Iron Crosses.
Mr. Scheel married three times. In 1942, he wed Eva Kronenberg, who died in 1966. They had one son. In 1969, he married Dr. Mildred Wirtz, a widow with a daughter by previous marriage, and with whom he had three children. She died in 1985. Since 1988, he had been married to Barbara Wiese, who survives him. Complete information on survivors was not immediately available.Mr. Scheel married three times. In 1942, he wed Eva Kronenberg, who died in 1966. They had one son. In 1969, he married Dr. Mildred Wirtz, a widow with a daughter by previous marriage, and with whom he had three children. She died in 1985. Since 1988, he had been married to Barbara Wiese, who survives him. Complete information on survivors was not immediately available.
After the war, Mr. Scheel became an executive at a Solingen steel works company and entered politics. He joined the Free Democrats, a small liberal party that later became a junior partner in various coalition governments. He rose through local and state offices and in 1953 was elected to the Bundestag, the lower house of Parliament, where he became known for his economic expertise.After the war, Mr. Scheel became an executive at a Solingen steel works company and entered politics. He joined the Free Democrats, a small liberal party that later became a junior partner in various coalition governments. He rose through local and state offices and in 1953 was elected to the Bundestag, the lower house of Parliament, where he became known for his economic expertise.
In 1961, when Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and his Christian Democrats formed a coalition with the Free Democrats, Mr. Scheel became minister of economic cooperation and development, in charge of a $750 million foreign-aid program. He embraced it enthusiastically, creating an agency similar to the Peace Corps, with 800 volunteers trained for work in developing countries. He also traveled widely in Africa and Latin America, pushing projects to raise living standards and promote development. In 1961, when Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and his Christian Democrats formed a coalition with the Free Democrats, Mr. Scheel became minister of economic cooperation and development, in charge of a $750 million foreign-aid program. He embraced it enthusiastically, creating an agency similar to the Peace Corps, with 800 volunteers trained for work in developing countries. He also traveled in Africa and Latin America, pushing projects to raise living standards and promote development.
In 1969, as a prospering West Germany began acquiring stature as a political and economic power in Europe, Mr. Brandt and his Social Democratic Party came to power by forming a coalition with the Free Democrats. Mr. Scheel, the party’s recently elected leader, was rewarded with appointments as foreign minister and deputy chancellor, and he became the chief executor of Mr. Brandt’s Ostpolitik diplomacy.In 1969, as a prospering West Germany began acquiring stature as a political and economic power in Europe, Mr. Brandt and his Social Democratic Party came to power by forming a coalition with the Free Democrats. Mr. Scheel, the party’s recently elected leader, was rewarded with appointments as foreign minister and deputy chancellor, and he became the chief executor of Mr. Brandt’s Ostpolitik diplomacy.
While his one-term presidency, from 1974 to 1979, was largely ceremonial, greeting foreign dignitaries and representing Bonn at state functions, Mr. Scheel was a popular figure and a voice of conscience in a nation with a deeply troubled past that was coming to grips with a new era of turmoil rooted in radical politics and terrorism. While his one-term presidency, from 1974 to 1979, was largely ceremonial, greeting foreign dignitaries and representing Bonn at state functions, Mr. Scheel was a popular figure and a voice of conscience in a nation with a deeply troubled past coming to grips with a new era of turmoil rooted in radical politics and terrorism.
In 1977, Hanns Martin Schleyer, an SS officer in World War II who had emerged after the war as a leader of West Germany’s business and industrial federations, was kidnapped, held hostage for six weeks and shot to death by the terrorist Red Army Faction, also known as the Baader-Meinhof gang. At Mr. Schleyer’s state funeral in Stuttgart, Mr. Scheel gave a nationally televised eulogy, which he titled “Shame.”In 1977, Hanns Martin Schleyer, an SS officer in World War II who had emerged after the war as a leader of West Germany’s business and industrial federations, was kidnapped, held hostage for six weeks and shot to death by the terrorist Red Army Faction, also known as the Baader-Meinhof gang. At Mr. Schleyer’s state funeral in Stuttgart, Mr. Scheel gave a nationally televised eulogy, which he titled “Shame.”
He denounced terrorism in the speech. But he also called on Germany to face up to its tragic modern history, beginning with the election of Adolf Hitler as chancellor in 1933.He denounced terrorism in the speech. But he also called on Germany to face up to its tragic modern history, beginning with the election of Adolf Hitler as chancellor in 1933.
Mr. Scheel rebuked Germans who “want to hear nothing more about our dark past.”Mr. Scheel rebuked Germans who “want to hear nothing more about our dark past.”
He added, “All words of a national dignity, of self-respect, remain hollow if we do not take on ourselves the entire pressing weight of our history.”He added, “All words of a national dignity, of self-respect, remain hollow if we do not take on ourselves the entire pressing weight of our history.”