Hermann Otto Solms
Encyclopedia
Hermann Otto Solms is a German
politician
of the Free Democratic Party
(FDP).
From 1991 to 1998 he was Chairman of the FDP Bundestag
parliamentary party. Since 1998, he has been Vice President of the Bundestag.
) in 1960, Solms carried out his required military service and then completed a commercial apprenticeship in 1964. He studied Economics
in Frankfurt am Main and Giessen
, Germany
and Kansas
, USA, finishing in 1969 with an economics degree and in 1975 with a doctoral degree in agriculture
(dr. agr.).
In 1970 he began working as a researcher at the Institute for Environmental Management Studies at University of Giessen
and in 1973 he became the personal advisor of Bundestag
vice president Liselotte Funcke. Since 1976 he has been an independent consultant.
, holding the post of Treasury Secretary from 1987 to 1999. After the death of his successor, Günter Rexrodt
, Solms was again appointed Secretary of the Treasury in the summer of 2004, confirmed on May 5, 2005 in Cologne
by a majority of 90.6%.
He has been a member of the Bundestag
(MdB) since 1980, serving as Deputy Chairman from 1985 to 1991, and as Chairman of the FDP Bundestag parliamentary party from January 15, 1991 to October 26, 1998, at which time he was selected to serve as the Vice President of the Bundestag. He was selected for this office again in 2002 and in 2005.
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...
of the Free Democratic Party
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...
(FDP).
From 1991 to 1998 he was Chairman of the FDP 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...
parliamentary party. Since 1998, he has been Vice President of the Bundestag.
Early life
After completing his secondary education (AbiturAbitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
) in 1960, Solms carried out his required military service and then completed a commercial apprenticeship in 1964. He studied Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in Frankfurt am Main and Giessen
University of Giessen
The University of Giessen is officially called the Justus Liebig University Giessen after its most famous faculty member, Justus von Liebig, the founder of modern agricultural chemistry and inventor of artificial fertiliser.-History:The University of Gießen is among the oldest institutions of...
, Germany
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...
and Kansas
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, USA, finishing in 1969 with an economics degree and in 1975 with a doctoral degree in agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
(dr. agr.).
In 1970 he began working as a researcher at the Institute for Environmental Management Studies at University of Giessen
University of Giessen
The University of Giessen is officially called the Justus Liebig University Giessen after its most famous faculty member, Justus von Liebig, the founder of modern agricultural chemistry and inventor of artificial fertiliser.-History:The University of Gießen is among the oldest institutions of...
and in 1973 he became the personal advisor of 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...
vice president Liselotte Funcke. Since 1976 he has been an independent consultant.
Political career
Since 1971, Solms has been a member of the FDPFree 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...
, holding the post of Treasury Secretary from 1987 to 1999. After the death of his successor, Günter Rexrodt
Günter Rexrodt
Günter Rexrodt was a German politician. He lived in Berlin.-Education and work:After the Abitur in 1960 in Arnstadt, Thuringia and an extra year in West Berlin, he graduated with a Diplom in business studies from the Free University Berlin where he also received his doctorate in 1971...
, Solms was again appointed Secretary of the Treasury in the summer of 2004, confirmed on May 5, 2005 in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
by a majority of 90.6%.
He has been a member of the 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...
(MdB) since 1980, serving as Deputy Chairman from 1985 to 1991, and as Chairman of the FDP Bundestag parliamentary party from January 15, 1991 to October 26, 1998, at which time he was selected to serve as the Vice President of the Bundestag. He was selected for this office again in 2002 and in 2005.