Dieter Althaus
Encyclopedia
Dieter Althaus is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
.
Althaus was teaching Physics and Mathematics at the Polytechnic Secondary School
in Geismar
, Thuringia, from 1983 to 1989, where he became deputy headteacher in 1987.
Since 1985 Althaus has been a member of the CDU
, remaining with the party as it transformed itself from a loyal supporter of the GDR's ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany
(SED) to a loyal supporter of the West German party of the same name with which it merged in 1990 shortly after German reunification
. In 2000 he became chairman of the CDU in Thuringia. Since 1990 he has been a member of the Thuringian Landtag
.
In 1992 he became a member of Bernhard Vogel's cabinet as minister of culture and education.
On 5 June 2003 he was elected Minister-president
of Thuringia; he succeeded Bernhard Vogel, who had resigned for reasons of age. As Minister-President he served as President
of the Bundesrat
in 2003/04.
Althaus is married to Katharina and has two children. He caused a skiing collision in Styria, Austria on January 1, 2009, in which he suffered severe injuries. Althaus was skiing down an expert run, but wandered onto an easy slope, where he was skiing in the wrong direction, whereupon he and a 41-year-old Slovak woman collided. The woman subsequently died from her injuries. Althaus was wearing a skiing helmet, while the woman was not. Althaus was fined €33,300 for negligent homicide
.
After the Thuringia elections of 2009
, where the CDU went from having an absolute majority to not even having enough seats to form a majority coalition with the FDP
, Althaus resigned as minister-president and as chairman of the CDU in Thuringia.
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...
.
Althaus was teaching Physics and Mathematics at the Polytechnic Secondary School
Polytechnic Secondary School
The polytechnic secondary school, officially ten-class general educational polytechnic secondary school, abbreviation POS, pronounced P-O-S, was the standard type of school in the school system of East Germany. The POS was established in 1959 to replace the hitherto existing Grundschule...
in Geismar
Geismar
Geismar is a Thuringian municipality in the district of Eichsfeld in Germany....
, Thuringia, from 1983 to 1989, where he became deputy headteacher in 1987.
Since 1985 Althaus has been a member of the CDU
Christian Democratic Union (East Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany ) was an East German political party founded in 1945. It was part of the National Front with the Socialist Unity Party of Germany until 1989....
, remaining with the party as it transformed itself from a loyal supporter of the GDR's ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
(SED) to a loyal supporter of the West German party of the same name with which it merged in 1990 shortly after German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
. In 2000 he became chairman of the CDU in Thuringia. Since 1990 he has been a member of the Thuringian Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
.
In 1992 he became a member of Bernhard Vogel's cabinet as minister of culture and education.
On 5 June 2003 he was elected Minister-president
Minister-President
A minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers...
of Thuringia; he succeeded Bernhard Vogel, who had resigned for reasons of age. As Minister-President he served as President
President of the German Bundesrat
In Germany, the President of the Bundesrat or President of the Federal Council is the chairperson or speaker of the Bundesrat . The presidency of the Bundesrat rotates among the heads of government of each of the states on an annual basis...
of the Bundesrat
Bundesrat of Germany
The German Bundesrat is a legislative body that represents the sixteen Länder of Germany at the federal level...
in 2003/04.
Althaus is married to Katharina and has two children. He caused a skiing collision in Styria, Austria on January 1, 2009, in which he suffered severe injuries. Althaus was skiing down an expert run, but wandered onto an easy slope, where he was skiing in the wrong direction, whereupon he and a 41-year-old Slovak woman collided. The woman subsequently died from her injuries. Althaus was wearing a skiing helmet, while the woman was not. Althaus was fined €33,300 for negligent homicide
Negligent homicide
Negligent homicide is a criminal charge brought against people who, through criminal negligence, allow others to die.Negligent Homicide is a lesser included offense to first and second degree murder, in the sense that someone guilty of this offense can expect a more lenient sentence, often with...
.
After the Thuringia elections of 2009
Thuringia state election, 2009
Thuringia held state elections on 30 August 2009, the same day as the Saarland and Saxony state elections. The election established the composition of the Landtag of Thuringia...
, where the CDU went from having an absolute majority to not even having enough seats to form a majority coalition with the FDP
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
, Althaus resigned as minister-president and as chairman of the CDU in Thuringia.