Johannes Rau

Political Biography

Rau was a member of the All-German People's Party, which was known for proposing German reunification, from 1952 until it was disbanded in 1957.

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In 1958 he and his political mentor Gustav Heinemann joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), where he was active in the Wuppertal chapter. He served as deputy chairman of the SPD party of Wuppertal, and was elected later on to the City Council (1964-1978), where he served as chairman of the SPD Group (1964-1967) and later as Mayor (1969-1970).

Related Topics:
Gustav Heinemann - Social Democratic Party of Germany

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In 1958 Rau was elected for the first time as member of the Landtag (state parliament) of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). In 1967 he became chairman of the SPD faction in the Landtag, and in 1970 Minister of Science and Education in the cabinet of Minister President Heinz Kühn. He soon gained a reputation as a reformer. As part of the mass-education campaign of the 1970s, he founded five universities, each at different sites, in North Rhine-Westphalia and initated Germany's first distance learning university at Hagen (modelled on the "open university").

Related Topics:
North Rhine-Westphalia - Heinz Kühn - Distance learning - Open university

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In 1977 Rau became Chairman of the North Rhine-Westphalia SPD, and in 1978 Minister President of the state, were he remained until 1998, with four successful elections for the SPD, which became strongest party in the Landtag each time and gained an absolute majority three times, in 1980, 1985, 1990 and finally 1995. From 1995 onwards, Rau lead a SPD-Greens coalition in NRW.

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In 1986 Rau tried to become chancellor of Germany for the SPD, but couldn't win the elections against Helmut Kohl's Christian Democrats (CDU). In 1994 Rau tried for the first time to become Federal President, but lost to Roman Herzog.

Related Topics:
Helmut Kohl - Roman Herzog

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In 1998 Rau stepped down from his positions as SPD Chairman and Minister President, and on 23 May 1999, was elected Federal President by the Federal Assembly of Germany to succeed Roman Herzog (CDU). On July 1, 2004 he was succeeded by Horst Köhler.

Related Topics:
23 May - 1999 - Federal President - Federal Assembly of Germany - Roman Herzog - July 1 - 2004 - Horst Köhler

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