Matthias Wissmann
Encyclopedia
Matthias Wissmann is the president of the Verband der Automobilindustrie
.
Since 1999 he has been a partner with the law firm WilmerHale.
at the university of Bonn
. He became a member of K.D.St.V. Alania Bonn, a catholic student fraternity that is member of the Cartellverband
.
and in 1968 of the CDU. From 1973 to 1983 Wissmann was federal leader of the Junge Union. Between 1998 and 2000 he was federal treasurer of the CDU.
Member of the Bundestag
In 1976, Wissmann was elected to the German Bundestag
for the Christlich-Demokratische Union. He laid down his parliamentary mandate by May 31, 2007 to become the president of the German automobile industry association, VDA, from June 1, 2007.
In 1981, he was chairman of the commission
Jugendprotest im demokratischen Staat (youth protest in the democratic state) until 1983. In the years 1983 - 1993 he was the spokesman of his parliamentary party for economy. From 1998 to 2002 Wissmann was the chairman of the parliamentary committee for economy and technology. Since 2002 he was the chairman of the parliamentary committee for the affairs of the European Union
.
. Only four month later, after the resignation of Günther Krause, he became federal minister of transport on May 13 1993. Wissmann left the government after his party lost the federal elections on September 27, 1998.
Verband der Automobilindustrie
The Verband der Automobilindustrie e. V., short VDA, is a German interest group of the German automobile industry, both automobile manufactures and automobile component suppliers. The group is located in Berlin, Germany...
.
Since 1999 he has been a partner with the law firm WilmerHale.
Education
Wissmann studied lawLaw
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...
at the university of Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
. He became a member of K.D.St.V. Alania Bonn, a catholic student fraternity that is member of the Cartellverband
Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
The Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen or Cartellverband is a German umbrella organization of Catholic male student fraternities .-Foundation:...
.
Party
Since 1965, Wissmann has been active in politics. He became member of the political youth organisation Junge UnionJunge Union
The Junge Union Deutschlands or JU is the jointyouth organisation of the two conservative German political parties CDU and CSU...
and in 1968 of the CDU. From 1973 to 1983 Wissmann was federal leader of the Junge Union. Between 1998 and 2000 he was federal treasurer of the CDU.
Member of the BundestagBundestagThe 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...
In 1976, Wissmann was elected to the German BundestagBundestag
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...
for the Christlich-Demokratische Union. He laid down his parliamentary mandate by May 31, 2007 to become the president of the German automobile industry association, VDA, from June 1, 2007.
In 1981, he was chairman of the commission
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
Jugendprotest im demokratischen Staat (youth protest in the democratic state) until 1983. In the years 1983 - 1993 he was the spokesman of his parliamentary party for economy. From 1998 to 2002 Wissmann was the chairman of the parliamentary committee for economy and technology. Since 2002 he was the chairman of the parliamentary committee for the affairs of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Minister
On January 21, 1993 Wissmann became federal minister of research and technology in the government of chancellor Helmut KohlHelmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
. Only four month later, after the resignation of Günther Krause, he became federal minister of transport on May 13 1993. Wissmann left the government after his party lost the federal elections on September 27, 1998.