Alfred Dregger
Encyclopedia
Alfred Dregger was a German
politician
and a leader of the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU).
Dregger was born in Münster
. After graduating from a school in Werl
, he entered the German Wehrmacht
in 1939. He was wounded four times and served until the end of the war, when he commanded a battalion
on the Eastern Front at the rank of Captain. In 1946 he began studying law
and government at the Universities of Marburg and Tübingen, earning his doctorate in 1950.
Dregger served from 1956 to 1970 as Oberbürgermeister or mayor
of Fulda; when first elected, he was the youngest mayor in West Germany
. He also served from 1962 to 1972 as a member of the Landtag
of Hesse
. He was for a time leader of the CDU in that body, and in 1967 became state party chairman, an office which he held until 1982. In 1969 he was also elected as a member of the national board of the party. From 1972 to 1998 he was a representative in the German Bundestag
; from 1982 to 1991 he was Chairman of the CDU/CSU
group there.
Dregger was known as a staunch conservative
and was a prominent member of the so-called Stahlhelm-Fraktion
, a National-Conservative wing of the CDU. In the 1970s he was an outspoken proponent of outlawing the German Communist Party
. He was responsible for the slogan "Freiheit statt Sozialismus" (Freedom instead of Socialism) with which the CDU had great success in the 1976 elections. In his eulogy, CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz
said of him, "Few have so clearly and categorically opposed the Left for decades". He called for Germany to "come out of Hitler's shadow". He resisted criticism of the Wehrmacht, strongly opposing a travelling exhibition called Die Verbrechen der Wehrmacht 1941 - 1944 (The Crimes of the Wehrmacht, 1941–1944) and writing to US Senators that if they discouraged Ronald Reagan
from his presidential visit to the Bitburg military cemetery, he would "consider this to be an insult to my brother and my comrades who were killed in action". He saw himself as a defender of Germany and the last representative of the war generation in the Bundestag.
Alfred Dregger was married and had two sons; his oldest son was killed in an accident in 1972.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a leader of the Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
(CDU).
Dregger was born in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
. After graduating from a school in Werl
Werl
Werl is a town located in the district of Soest in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Werl is easily accessible because it is located between the Sauerland, Münsterland, and the Ruhr Area...
, he entered the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in 1939. He was wounded four times and served until the end of the war, when he commanded a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
on the Eastern Front at the rank of Captain. In 1946 he began studying law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and government at the Universities of Marburg and Tübingen, earning his doctorate in 1950.
Dregger served from 1956 to 1970 as Oberbürgermeister or mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Fulda; when first elected, he was the youngest mayor in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. He also served from 1962 to 1972 as a member of the Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
of Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
. He was for a time leader of the CDU in that body, and in 1967 became state party chairman, an office which he held until 1982. In 1969 he was also elected as a member of the national board of the party. From 1972 to 1998 he was a representative in the German Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
; from 1982 to 1991 he was Chairman of the CDU/CSU
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
group there.
Dregger was known as a staunch conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
and was a prominent member of the so-called Stahlhelm-Fraktion
Stahlhelm-Fraktion
Stahlhelm-Fraktion or Steel Helmet-Faction is a German term used to describe the hard-line or right-wing faction of a political party, most notably the German CDU. The term refers to the hawkish, i.e. pro-military positions often taken by such groups and comes from the Stahlhelm, the steel helmet...
, a National-Conservative wing of the CDU. In the 1970s he was an outspoken proponent of outlawing the German Communist Party
German Communist Party
The German Communist Party is a Marxist-Leninist party in Germany.-History:The DKP was formed in West Germany in 1968, in order to fill the place of the Communist Party of Germany , which had been banned by the Federal Constitutional Court in 1956...
. He was responsible for the slogan "Freiheit statt Sozialismus" (Freedom instead of Socialism) with which the CDU had great success in the 1976 elections. In his eulogy, CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz
Friedrich Merz
Friedrich Merz is a German politician, former chairman of the major centre-right party CDU and currently a member of the German parliament, the Bundestag...
said of him, "Few have so clearly and categorically opposed the Left for decades". He called for Germany to "come out of Hitler's shadow". He resisted criticism of the Wehrmacht, strongly opposing a travelling exhibition called Die Verbrechen der Wehrmacht 1941 - 1944 (The Crimes of the Wehrmacht, 1941–1944) and writing to US Senators that if they discouraged Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
from his presidential visit to the Bitburg military cemetery, he would "consider this to be an insult to my brother and my comrades who were killed in action". He saw himself as a defender of Germany and the last representative of the war generation in the Bundestag.
Alfred Dregger was married and had two sons; his oldest son was killed in an accident in 1972.
Sources
- Michael Schwab. Alfred Dregger für Fulda und Deutschland: Stationen eines charismatischen Politikers. Fulda informiert: Dokumentationen zur Stadtgeschichte 26. Petersberg: Imhof, 2008. ISBN 9783865682918.
External links
- Books by and about Alfred Dregger at the German National LibraryGerman National LibraryThe German National Library is the central archival library and national bibliographic centre for the Federal Republic of Germany...