Björn Engholm

Björn Engholm ( born November 9, 1939 in Lübeck- Moisling ) is a German politician ( SPD).

Engholm was 1981-1982 Federal Minister of Education and Science, 1982, Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Forestry. In the period from 1988 to 1993, he served as Minister -President of Schleswig -Holstein. From 1991 to 1993 he was National Chairman of the SPD and until his resignation from all offices of the designated chancellor candidate for the SPD.

Life and career

Björn Engholm gained by attending the elementary school and the Johanneums in Lübeck in 1958, the average maturity and then began an apprenticeship as a typesetter in the publishing of the Social Democratic newspaper Lübeck Free Press. Subsequently he worked until 1962 as a compositor and typesetter.

At the same time he studied at the Second chance education at the College of Economics and Politics in Hamburg. In 1962, he began a study of politics, economics and sociology at the University of Hamburg, where he earned his degree in political science. Then he worked as a lecturer in youth and adult education.

After his political career Engholm closed in 1994 a consulting contract with the energy company Preussen Elektra, who was involved in Schleswig -Holstein to the nuclear power plants Brokdorf and Brunsbuttel. So he made especially in his own party for outrage, as he always with his negative attitude towards nuclear power as an active politician - had excelled - and in particular those nuclear power plants.

Engholm worked for ten years as a curator at the St. Petri Church in Lübeck.

Björn Engholm is married since 1964 with artist Barbara Engholm ( born 1940 ) and has two daughters.

Party

Björn Engholm occurred in 1962 in the SPD. In May 1984, he was elected to the National Executive of the SPD. On 29 May 1991 Engholm, was elected on the SPD party in Bremen, succeeding Hans -Jochen Vogel, who did not run for reasons of age to the federal chairman of the SPD. This Björn Engholm was also the designated chancellor candidate for the SPD for the federal election in 1994. In May 1993, Engholm occurred because of the drawer affair from his office as Prime Minister of Schleswig -Holstein and put all party posts, including the SPD Presidency down.

Member of Parliament

From 1969 to 1983 Engholm was a member of the German Bundestag. He is always drawn as directly elected representative of the constituency of Lübeck in the Bundestag.

After the state elections in 1983, he became a member of the Landtag of Schleswig -Holstein. Here he became chairman of the SPD parliamentary group and led so until his election as Prime Minister in 1988 the opposition. From the Diet, he retired on November 7, 1994 consisted of prematurely.

Public offices

On May 18, 1977 Engholm was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Minister for Education and Science led by Chancellor Helmut Schmidt federal government. After Jürgen Schmude was changed in January 1981 in the Office of the Federal Minister of Justice, Engholm took over on 28 January 1981 even the Office of the Federal Minister of Education and Science.

Following the resignation of the FDP Federal Minister of the Federal Government Engholm was from September 17 to October 1, 1982 in addition Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Forestry. On 1 October 1982, it was elected Chancellor Helmut Kohl ( CDU). This also Engholm's term ended as a federal minister.

In 1983, he was the top candidate of Schleswig-Holstein SPD for the first time. The CDU under Prime Minister Barschel could, however, defend their absolute majority and expand.

The Schleswig-Holstein state election in 1987 was overshadowed by the so-called Barschel affair to the media officer Reiner Pfeiffer. The CDU lost its absolute majority, and Barschel resigned as Prime Minister. A new government was denied by the stalemate in Parliament and to the unresolved affair. On May 8, 1988, came to elections, in which the SPD was able to win with 54.8 % of votes and an increase of 9.6 percentage points, an absolute majority, while the CDU a loss of votes of 9.3 percentage points to 33.3 % of votes had to accept.

Engholm was chosen on 31 May 1988 Prime Minister of Schleswig -Holstein. As scheduled, he was from 1 November 1988 to 31 October 1989, President of the Bundesrat.

On 3 May 1993 Björn Engholm resigned from political office after again ambiguities in the course of Barschel affair had occurred. He was accused before the first committee of inquiry (drawers affair), especially a false statement. Engholm there had falsely declared to have known before the state election in 1987 unaware of the spying Pfeiffer. The resignation also meant that a now asked the prospect SPD chancellor candidate for the parliamentary election in 1994 did not materialize.

Social offices

1997 Engholm was a board member of the Pro Baltica Forum. In this capacity, he represented the idea of ​​a New Hanse as a cooperation of the Baltic countries. For his services for the promotion of German - Scandinavian relations him the Willy Brandt Prize was awarded on 13 June 2005. He is also Chairman of the Cultural Forum ( the Social Democrats ) Schleswig- Holstein eV and Chairman of the University Advisory Board of the University of Lübeck. He is also a member of the Trust Committee of the SPD, the supervisory body of the finances and property of the SPD.