biography
| name: |
Strauss, Franz Josef
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| |
also Strauß
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pronunciation:
[shtrows]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1915–88)
|
| biography:
| German politician, born in Munich, SE Germany. He studied in Munich, and served in the German army during World War 2. In 1945 he was a founder member of the rightist, Bavarian-based Christlich Soziale Union (CSU, Christian Social Union) serving as the party's secretary general (1949–52), deputy chairman (1952–61), and chairman (from 1961). He was member of Frankfurter Wirtschaftsra (1948–9), Bundesminister für besondere Aufgaben (1953–5), and Bundesminister für Atomfragen (nuclear energy, 1955–6). During his time as defence minister (1956–62) he led the development of the Bundeswehr, but stepped down from this post because of the Spiegelaffäre. He served as finance minister (1966–9), prime minister of Bavaria (1978–88), using this base to wield significant influence within the Bundesrat and (from 1982) in the coalition government headed by Chancellor Kohl. In 1980 he had been Christlich-Demokratische Union (CDU)/CSU candidate for the position of chancellor. After the election of Kohl he left the Bundesregierung but remained active in internal and external affairs. |
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