Richard von Weizsäcker | |
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Richard von Weizsäcker in 1984
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President of Germany (West Germany until 1990) |
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In office 1 July 1984 – 30 June 1994 |
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Chancellor | Helmut Kohl |
Preceded by | Karl Carstens |
Succeeded by | Roman Herzog |
Governing Mayor of West Berlin | |
In office 11 June 1981 – 9 February 1984 |
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Preceded by | Hans-Jochen Vogel |
Succeeded by | Eberhard Diepgen |
Personal details | |
Born |
Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker 15 April 1920 Stuttgart, Germany |
Died | 31 January 2015 Berlin, Germany |
(aged 94)
Nationality | German |
Political party | Christian Democratic Union |
Spouse(s) | Marianne von Kretschmann |
Children | 4 |
Alma mater |
Balliol College, Oxford University of Grenoble University of Göttingen |
Signature |
Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker ( listen ; 15 April 1920 – 31 January 2015) was a German politician (CDU), who served as President of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany until 1990) from 1984 to 1994. Born into the aristocratic Weizsäcker family, he took his first public offices in the Evangelical Church in Germany.
A member of the CDU since 1954, he was elected as member of parliament in 1969. He continued to hold a mandate as member of the Bundestag until he became Governing Mayor of West Berlin, following the 1981 state elections. In 1984, von Weizsäcker was elected as President of the Federal Republic of Germany. During his presidency, German reunification was accomplished through the incorporation of the territory of the former German Democratic Republic into the Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990.