Gustav Walter Heinemann was born on 23 July 1899 in Barmen, Germany. He was named after his maternal grandfather, a master roof tiler with radical-democratic views. Heinemann's father, Otto, worked at the Krupp steelworks and shared similar political beliefs. Heinemann's upbringing instilled in him a commitment to liberal and democratic traditions. After completing his secondary education in 1917, he briefly served in the First World War but was unable to fight due to illness. He studied law, economics, and history at several universities, earning a Ph.D. in 1922 and a doctorate in law in 1929.Heinemann began his career as a solicitor and published a book on legal issues in the medical field in 1929. He worked as a legal adviser and director at the Rheinische Stahlwerke from 1929 to 1949. His refusal to join the Nazi Party hindered his academic career, and he was known for protesting against the discrimination of Jewish colleagues during the Nazi regime. Heinemann was involved with the Confessing Church, providing legal advice to persecuted Christians and aiding Jews in hiding.After World War II, Heinemann was appointed mayor of Essen by British authorities in 1945 and was elected to the position in 1946, serving until 1949. He was a founding member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in North Rhine-Westphalia and served as Minister of Justice in the state government. In 1949, he became the Minister of the Interior in Konrad Adenauer's government but resigned a year later over concerns about German rearmament. He left the CDU in 1952 and founded the All-German People's Party, which aimed for a neutral, reunified Germany but struggled to gain support. Heinemann joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1957, advocating for social reforms and representing political minorities as a lawyer.Heinemann was elected President of West Germany in March 1969, with support from the Free Democratic Party, signaling a shift towards a coalition with the SPD. He emphasized the importance of citizen engagement and social justice, gaining popularity among younger generations. He visited countries previously occupied by Germany during the war and supported reconciliation with Eastern Europe. Heinemann initiated the establishment of a museum to commemorate German liberation movements, reflecting his family's involvement in the 1848 revolution.Due to health issues, Heinemann did not seek a second term in 1974 and passed away on 7 July 1976. He criticized the Radikalenerlass, a policy that subjected civil service candidates to scrutiny based on political beliefs, arguing it contradicted constitutional principles. The Gustav-Heinemann-Friedenspreis, awarded for children's literature promoting peace, was established in his honor.

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Gustav Heinemann