Günther Krause

Günther Krause
Minister of Transport
In office
18 January 1991 – 6 May 1993
Prime Minister Helmut Kohl
Succeeded by Matthias Wissmann
Personal details
Born 3 September 1953
Halle
Political party Christian Democratic Union
Alma mater Wismar University of Technology, Business and Design

Günther Krause (born 3 September 1953) is a German engineer, academic, politician and businessman. He was the Germany's minister of transport from 1991 to 1993.

Early life and education

Krause is a native of Gustrow near Mecklenburg, East Germany.[1] He was born on 3 September 1953 in Halle.[2][3] He received PhD in engineering from Wismar University of Technology, Business and Design in 1987.[2]

Career

Krause joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of East Germany in 1975.[2][4] He worked as an engineer on computerized planning in housing in Rostock.[2] In 1982, he began to work at his alma meter, Wismar Technology University[2] and was promoted to the professorship in computer science.[3] Then he became the CDU state chairman from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.[5] He served as state secretary and the chief unity negotiator for East Germany's only freely elected government headed by Lothar de Maizière.[6][7] Krause was also senior advisor to Maizière.[8] The Unification Treaty was signed by West German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schauble and Krause on 31 August 1990.[7][3]

Following the reunification of West and East Germany Krause served at the Bundestag and in its committee on research and technology.[1] He was appointed minister of transport on 18 January 1991 in the Helmut Kohl's fourth cabinet.[8] He was the most prominent eastern German politician in the government[1][6] and one of the three ministers from East Germany in addition to Angela Merkel (CDU; Minister for Women and Youth) and Rainer Ortleb (FDP; Minister of Education).[9] Krause resigned from the office on 6 May 1993 after his alleged involvement in scandals,[6][10] and was replaced by Matthias Wissmann, another CDU member.[4] Krause was the eighth minister to quit the Kohl cabinet in the past 13 months.[11]

In 1993, Krause resigned from politics and public office and began to deal with business.[3] As of 2010, he heads a company on information, advice and project development that is based in Kirchmöser, a district of Brandenburg.[3]

Personal life

Krause married twice and has six children, three from the previous marriage.[3] He lives in Admannshagen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with his second wife.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Quiet engineer heads German research". New Scientist (1874). 22 May 1993. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Günther Krause". Munzinger. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Günther Krause: Wir machen aus Hausmüll Erdöl“". Focus. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Germany" (PDF). Omega Centre. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "Angela Merkel: from physics to politics". Deutsche Welle. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Transport Chief Quits Under Fire in Germany". The New York Times. 7 May 1993. p. 7.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Unification Treaty is Signed Without Reference to Nazi Era". JTA. Bonn. 4 September 1990. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Germany`s New Cabinet Is Finalized". Chicago Tribune (Bonn). 17 January 1991. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  9. ↑ Jürgen Weber (2004). Germany 1945-1990. Central European University Press. p. 253. ISBN 978-963-9241-70-1. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  10. ↑ Crawshaw, Steve (7 May 1993). "Scandal-hit CDU minister resigns: An east German leader moved house once too often". The Independent (Bonn). Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  11. ↑ Maull, Hanna W. (26 May 1993). "Germany:The Grandchildren Need New Politics". The New York Times (Trier). Retrieved 12 September 2012.