Schäuble, one of the most influential politicians of the past decades, has died. He played a significant role in the realization of German unity. But he was also denied important positions.
The former President of the Bundestag and Federal Minister Wolfgang Schäuble is dead. He fell asleep peacefully at home with his family on Tuesday evening at the age of 81, as they announced. The CDU politician died after a long, serious illness, which did not stop him from attending the Bundestag sessions until Christmas.
In his political career, Schäuble was a minister, CDU leader, parliamentary group leader and President of the German Bundestag. Nobody has been a member of Parliament longer than him. His work was recognized across party lines. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the man who died a “stroke of luck for German history.”
“With Wolfgang Schäuble, we have lost a great person and passionate politician who achieved historic things for our country,” said Steinmeier in a letter of condolence to his widow Ingeborg Schäuble. Her husband worked persistently for the unity of Germany and Europe. “A rich life has now come to an end – the work of this outstanding statesman and person will endure. We will not forget Wolfgang Schäuble.”
Bundestag President Bärbel Bas wrote in a letter of condolence to Ingeborg Schäuble: “Your husband was an exceptional politician, a passionate parliamentarian and a great European. Hardly anyone has had a significant influence on German politics for as long as Wolfgang Schäuble.” Bas praised Schäuble as an architect of German unity: “One of the happiest hours of our country is inextricably linked to his name – the overcoming of German division.”
“I personally witnessed his commitment to Europe, his intellectual rigor and his statesmanship,” wrote ECB President Christine Lagarde on Platform X.
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Honorable commemoration across party lines
CDU leader Friedrich Merz paid tribute to the deceased as “a figure who shaped German and European politics for decades.” “I personally am losing my closest friend and advisor that I have ever had in politics,” wrote the chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group to the Union MPs.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz highlighted Schäuble’s “impressive and very long political career.” “His intellect, his joy in democratic debate, his conservative world view and his rhetorical sharpness particularly distinguished him throughout this time,” said the SPD politician in a statement. “Germany is losing a formative Christian Democrat who liked to argue and yet never lost sight of what politics was about: making the lives of its citizens better.”
Former Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted “with great dismay” to the death of her long-time political companion. “With him, Germany is losing an outstanding personality with political and programmatic foresight,” Merkel said in a statement. “We will miss Wolfgang Schäuble’s voice in Germany, and I will personally miss his advice.”
Political career
Schäuble was born on September 18, 1942 in Freiburg. He studied law. He was drawn to politics at an early age. In 1965 he joined the CDU. In 1972 he won a mandate for the Bundestag for the first time, where he served for over half a century without interruption until his death.
Decades of German politics are associated with the name Schäuble. Under Chancellor Helmut Kohl (CDU), he was initially head of the Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks, then Minister of the Interior from 1989 to 1991. Schäuble helped negotiate the unification treaty in the GDR after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since the assassination attempt on him by a mentally disturbed man in October 1990, Schäuble has been in a wheelchair, but his political career has continued. From 1991 to 2000 he led the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. After the Union lost power in 1998, Schäuble became party leader as part of the CDU’s realignment. Merkel became general secretary.
In the turmoil of the CDU donations affair and after statements about a 100,000 mark cash donation, Schäuble resigned as CDU leader in February 2000. Merkel became party leader, and as chancellor she made him interior minister in 2005 and finance minister four years later. Schäuble held the office for two electoral terms; he achieved the “black zero”, i.e. a federal budget without new debts.
After the 2017 federal election, Schäuble was elected President of the Bundestag, the second highest office in the state. He was denied the highest office, that of Federal President. When the Union lost the 2021 election, Schäuble had to give up the high post, but he remained as a rank-and-file member of the Bundestag.
In his party he was one of the conservative politicians; behind the scenes his words always had weight. On the other hand, he called on the CDU earlier than others to be open to alliances with the Greens.
“Political exceptional phenomenon”
Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki explained: “He is leaving a painful gap, not only as a political exception, but also as a political intellectual.”
Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt reacted similarly: “Our country is losing a passionate defender of our parliamentary democracy.” Across different political beliefs, she got to know Schäuble as an opinionated and reliable person who lived for politics and our democracy.
The Green Party leadership also praised Schäuble as a defining political figure in Germany. “He was a giant of parliamentarism and a defining figure for our country for decades. His place in the history books is certain,” wrote party leader Omid Nouripour on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
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