Politician. He was a German statesman who helped pioneer the "Ostpolitik" policy of improving relations with the communist East under West German Chancellor Willy Brandt. Officially deputy minister in the chancellery, he was Brandt's chief negotiator for a series of agreements, the most important of which were with the Soviet Union (Treaty of Moscow), Poland (Treaty of Warsaw) and East Germany (Basic Treaty of 1972). Bahr's and Brandt's eastern policy ("Ostpolitik") was based on the realization that East Germany could no longer be ignored and that ties needed to be improved. Their approach became known as "change through rapprochement" ("Wandel durch Annäherung"), a term formed by Bahr. He also served as minister for special affairs and later was minister for economic cooperation under Chancelor Helmut Schmidt for two years. After leaving Schmidt's cabinet, he continued to be a member of the Bundestag, the German parliament. Cause of death was myocardial infarction.
Politician. He was a German statesman who helped pioneer the "Ostpolitik" policy of improving relations with the communist East under West German Chancellor Willy Brandt. Officially deputy minister in the chancellery, he was Brandt's chief negotiator for a series of agreements, the most important of which were with the Soviet Union (Treaty of Moscow), Poland (Treaty of Warsaw) and East Germany (Basic Treaty of 1972). Bahr's and Brandt's eastern policy ("Ostpolitik") was based on the realization that East Germany could no longer be ignored and that ties needed to be improved. Their approach became known as "change through rapprochement" ("Wandel durch Annäherung"), a term formed by Bahr. He also served as minister for special affairs and later was minister for economic cooperation under Chancelor Helmut Schmidt for two years. After leaving Schmidt's cabinet, he continued to be a member of the Bundestag, the German parliament. Cause of death was myocardial infarction.
Bio by: Thomas Haas
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