“Anyone ... who cared to inform himself could not escape the fact that the deportation trains were rolling.”
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Richard von Weizsäcker
Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker was a German politician (CDU), who served as President of Germany from 1984 to 1994. Born into the aristocratic Weizsäcker family, he took his first public offices in the Protestant Church in Germany.
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politics · President of Germany from 1984 to 1994 · politician · lawyer · military personnel · jurist · mayor · also Richard von Weizsäcker, Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker, Weizsäcker
Born 15 April 1920 · Died 31 January 2015 · Q2567
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2026· 7 entries
“The Germans, who today live separated into East and West, have never stopped and will never stop to feel like one nation.”
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“cannot profess a guilt of their own for crimes they did not commit.”
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“multitude of comparisons and parallels”
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“all too many of us claimed they had not known anything about it or even suspected anything.”
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Der Tagesspiegel: Seit 2021 ohne Wasser: Brunnen am Richard-von-Weizsäcker-Platz bleiben noch länger trocken
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kleinezeitung: Richard Von Weizsacker
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2022· 1 entry
Publishers Weekly: Books by Richard Von Weizsacker and Complete Book Reviews
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2019· 1 entry
Though the suspect has been sent to a secure hospital unit due to a "delusional general aversion" against the victim's family
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2015· 1 entry
Died 2015-01-31.
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2014· 1 entry
Awarded Eric M. Warburg Award (2014).
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2010· 3 entries
Won Giuseppe Motta Medal (2010).
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It was speculated in the media that Andreas might have been one of the victims, but this was denied by the family
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Weizsäcker described the marriage as "the best and smartest decision of my life"
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2009· 2 entries
Awarded Corine Literature Prize (2009).
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Published a book on his recollections of German reunification, titled Der Weg zur Einheit (The Path to Unity)
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2008· 1 entry
Won Four Freedoms Award – Freedom Medal (2008).
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2005· 1 entry
BZ: Die Memoiren der Berliner Bürgermeister , Richard von Weizsäcker (1981 bis 1984)
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2003· 3 entries
Awarded Johann Heinrich Voß Prize for Literature (2003).
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Awarded Erich-Kästner award (2003).
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Awarded Grand cross of the Order of the White Lion (2003).
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2000· 1 entry
Awarded Dr. Leopold Lucas Prize (2000).
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1997· 1 entry
And in English as From Weimar to the Wall: My Life in German Politics in 1999
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1996· 1 entry
Called for the immediate release of General Olusegun Obasanjo, the former head of state of Nigeria, who had become the first military ruler in Africa to keep his promise to hand over power to an elected civilian gover
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1995· 4 entries
Won Buber-Rosenzweig-Medal (1995).
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Awarded Catalonia International Prize (1995).
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Awarded Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg (1995).
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Awarded German citizenship award (1995).
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1994· 4 entries
Earned Gold Olympic Order (1994).
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Awarded Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (1994).
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Awarded German Leo Baeck Award (1994).
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Supported Richard Holbrooke in creating the American Academy in Berlin
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1992· 4 entries
Awarded Royal Victorian Chain (1992).
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Awarded Nansen Refugee Award (1992).
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Midway through his second term, Weizsäcker voiced a harsh critique of the leading political parties in Germany, claiming that they took a larger role in public life than was awarded to them by the constitution
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Weizsäcker gave the eulogy at the state funeral of former Chancellor Willy Brandt at the Reichstag, the first state funeral for a former chancellor to take place in Berlin since the death of Gustav Stresemann in 1929
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1991· 2 entries
Awarded Heinrich Heine Prize (1991).
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“decoration of a so-called capital”
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1990· 4 entries
Won Harnack medal (1990).
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Awarded Geuzenpenning (1990).
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Awarded honorary citizen of Berlin (1990).
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Weizsäcker became the first head of state of the German Federal Republic to visit Poland
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1989· 1 entry
Awarded Order of the Elephant (1989).
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1988· 2 entries
Awarded Royal Order of the Seraphim (1988).
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Awarded Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon (1988).
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1987· 3 entries
At a time when the CDU actively tried to label the Green Party as unconstitutional, the President had regular contact with high-ranking Green politicians such as Antje Vollmer, who was also active in the Protestant Churc
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Travelled to Moscow to meet Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in what was perceived as a difficult time in West German-Soviet relations, after chancellor Kohl had angered Moscow by comparing Gorbachev to Joseph Goebbels
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Erich Honecker became the first East German leader to visit the Federal Republic
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1986· 1 entry
Awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1986).
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1985· 3 entries
Awarded Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1985).
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Marking the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945
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And his critique of party politics in 1992
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1984· 4 entries
Awarded Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1984).
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Weizsäcker was elected as President of West Germany by the German Federal Convention, succeeding Karl Carstens and drawing unusual support from both the governing center-right coalition and the opposition Social Democrat
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Career landmark: president of Germany (1984–1994).
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Weizsäcker was elected as President of the Federal Republic of Germany and was re-elected in 1989 for a second term
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1983· 1 entry
And had formed a government with the Free Democrats, Weizsäcker did the same in West Berlin
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1982· 1 entry
Won Ernst Reuter Medal (1982).
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1981· 1 entry
Career landmark: Governing Mayor of Berlin (1981–1984).
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1980· 1 entry
Career landmark: Berlin member of the Bundestag (1980–1981).
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1976· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the German Bundestag (1976–1980).
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1974· 1 entry
Weizsäcker was the Presidential candidate of his party for the first time, but he lost to Walter Scheel of the FDP, who was supported by the ruling center-left coalition
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1972· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the German Bundestag (1972–1976).
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1971· 1 entry
When Weizsäcker supported Rainer Barzel over Kohl for the CDU-chairmanship
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1969· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the German Bundestag (1969–1972).
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1955· 1 entry
Studied at University of Göttingen (1945–1955).
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1954· 1 entry
Was known for often publicly voicing political views different from his own party line, both in and out of the presidential office
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1950· 1 entry
His second in 1953, and finally earned his doctorate (doctor juris) in 1955
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1947· 1 entry
When his father, Ernst von Weizsäcker, was a defendant in the Ministries Trial for his role in the deportation of Jews from occupied France, Richard von Weizsäcker served as his assistant defence counsel
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1945· 1 entry
And was transported home to Stuttgart, to see out the end of the war on a family farm at Lake Constance
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1938· 1 entry
And moved back to Germany the same year to start his Reichsarbeitsdienst
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1920· 1 entry
Born 1920-04-15.
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1918· 1 entry
Shortly before the monarchy was abolished in the German Revolution of 1918–1919
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1897· 1 entry
And raised to the hereditary title of Baron (Freiherr) in 1916
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