Historical Figure
Gerhard Schröder
b. 1944
Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005
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Biography
Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German former politician and lobbyist who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. From 1999 to 2004, he was also the Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). As chancellor, he led a coalition government of the SPD and Alliance 90/The Greens. Since leaving public office, Schröder has worked for Russian state-owned energy companies, including Nord Stream AG, Rosneft, and Gazprom.
Timeline
The story of Gerhard Schröder, told in moments.
Became chairman of the Young Socialists. Shook Willy Brandt's hand at the chancellery gate and told reporters he wanted to get in there himself someday.
Elected Chancellor of Germany, ending 16 years of Helmut Kohl. Ran as a centrist modernizer. His Agenda 2010 labor reforms were unpopular but reshaped the German economy.
Refused to support the Iraq War. Told Bush no in public. It ruptured the transatlantic relationship for years. The French backed him up.
Lost the chancellorship to Angela Merkel. Weeks later he joined the board of Nord Stream AG, the Russian-German gas pipeline. The pipeline deal he'd signed as chancellor.
In Their Own Words (4)
We have to insist that those who come to us show a willingness to integrate that corresponds to our readiness to integrate them.
on the integration of immigrants, laudatory speech on the occasion of the presentation of the ’Preis für Toleranz und Verständigung’ (Prize for Tolerance and Understanding), 20 November 2004, quoted on dradio.de, 2004
As long as he lived, Yasser Arafat directed his efforts towards leading the Palestinians to independence and founding a sovereign viable Palestinian state.
letter of condolence to the then prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority Ahmed Qurei, 11 November 2004, quoted on zeit.de, 2004
I believe him, and I'm convinced that he is.
responding to the question Ist Putin ein lupenreiner Demokrat? (Is Putin an exemplary democrat?), interview on the TV show ‘Beckmann’, 23 November 2004, quoted on dradio.de, 2004
We don't wage war, but we are called upon to impose a peaceful solution in Kosovo by military means as well.
24 March 1999 on German television, quoted in the documentary film ‘Es begann mit einer Lüge’, the complete manuscript of the film, 1999
Artifacts (15)
Don't ever knock a bottle out of my hand
t of his hand, admonishing him to never drink from a bottle that he had not personally seen opened. Johnson replied, "Don't ever knock a bottle out of my hand". Soon after, he was offered another...
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