“The pension is safe” – almost everyone knew this sentence by Norbert Blüm. Now the CDU politician has died.
- Norbert Blüm was permanent minister of Helmut Kohl.
- A sentence of CDU politician is particularly well known: “The pension is safe”.
- Now the former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs has died at the age of 84.
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Update from 16:28:
Left boss Bernd Riexinger has the late former Federal Minister of Labor Norbert Blüm (CDU) recognized as the “social conscience” of the Union. “During his time as minister, he campaigned for the introduction of long-term care insurance and opposed the privatization of pensions,” Riexinger told AFP on Friday.
Flower had remained true “when he last spent a night in a tent in the Idomeni refugee camp”. This was a symbolic act “with which he drew attention to the plight of refugees and the inhumane consequences of German refugee policy”.
Flower traveled to Idomeni in 2016 to draw attention to the situation of the refugees there. The former minister died on Friday night at the age of 84. From 1982 to 1998 he was Federal Minister of Labor and Social Order under the then Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl (CDU).
Norbert Blüm is dead: Merkel is hard hit and posts a touching picture
Update from 12.15 p.m.: The death of Norbert Blüm causes dismay. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) said on Friday that together with Blüm she joined the cabinet ofHelmut Kohl listened and he had “strongly shaped” her work.
Blüm had known the workbench and the ministerial table alike, the Chancellor said in a statement. She paid tribute to Blüm for the introduction of the care insurancethat has been around for 25 years. The Chancellor had become aware of Blüm’s death “with great dismay”. She expresses her “deeply felt compassion” to relatives.
Norbert Blüm is dead – Steinmeier: “Outstanding political personality”
Frank-Walter Steinmeier praised the CDU politician in a letter of condolence to his widow as “outstanding personality in the history of Germany”. The Federal President continued: “His name will always remain closely linked to his extraordinary commitment to pension policy”.
Blüm was “an intrepid lawyer for the citizens and a reminder to preserve creation”. Steinmeier went on to say that Blüm was particularly fond of the younger generation with their questions about a just and ecological future.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) explained on Twitter:
“Solidarity is the political form of charity,” said Norbert # Flower times said. Germany lost a politician and person tonight who carried so much of this charity. We will miss Norbert Blüm.
– Heiko Maas (@HeikoMaas) April 24, 2020
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Laschet on the death of Blüm: he was “social conscience of the Bonn Republic”
Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia Armin Laschet has recognized Blüm as the “social conscience of the Bonn Republic”. Blüm was “one of the best-known and most popular personalities in post-war history,” said Laschet on Friday. “He was cheerful, close to people and arguable.”
Blüm fought for the weakest and at the same time was “brave towards the powerful”. “His appearance as a minister in Chile when he spoke to the dictator Pinochet I openly criticize open torture. “
The deputy CDU federal chairman also emphasized his personal connection to Blüm. “He gave me personal advice a lot, you could laugh with him and listen to him for hours,” wrote Laschet.
Health professional Karl Lauterbach (SPD) called Blüm a personal role model:
Norbert was a very good person who, until a few days ago, was committed to helping people who are sick and in need of care. A role model for every social politician, including me. His death is a loss for our whole country. We will miss him! https://t.co/Du6jHu8nbY
– Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) April 24, 2020
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AKK on the death of Norbert Blüm: he was the reason to join the CDU
“Norbert Blüm was one of the reasons why I joined the CDU,” said the CDU chairwoman Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer in the Southwest Broadcasting. “He combined heart and expertise and humor in a distinctive personality. He was always clear and arguable in the best democratic sense, ”she said.
Norbert Blüm is dead – Lindner appreciates the humor of the CDU politician
The FDP chairman too Christian Lindner paid tribute to Blüm’s lifetime achievement and described him as a “passionate politician from the tradition of Catholic social teaching”. His party had argued with him over some questions of economic and pension policy. “Nevertheless, we have the greatest respect for his merits for our country,” tweeted Lindner. He also emphasized the great humor of Blum.
Norbert Blüm died: Helmut Kohl’s political companion for many years
First report from April 24th: Bonn – The former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Norbert Blüm is dead. The CDU politician is aged 84 years died, his son said on Friday to the German Press Agency in Bonn. The family initially did not provide any further information. Since 2019, Blüm has been the result of one Blood poisoning * paralyzed on arms and legs and sat in a wheelchair.
Blüm was the only minister, the Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl accompanied the entire 16 years of his reign (1982-1998) in the cabinet. In the black and yellow coalition, depending on the political location, it was considered a “social conscience” or “social fig leaf”. His most sustainable achievement was the introduction of the care insurance 1995.
Norbert Blüm is dead: His “pension is certain” became the saying
However, one thing remained in memory Poster campaign from 1986: There he had his picture taken in front of an advertising column, on which a poster was emblazoned with the saying: “Because one thing is certain – the pension”. The shortened sentence “The pension is safe” became a saying.
In Germany politician Norbert Blüm coined to famous phrase “State pensions are safe” in 1986. That is how old this discussion really is.
As a teenager at school 20y ago I decided -looking at an age distribution chart- that I want no part of it.
The signs were there for decades. pic.twitter.com/K3gJwGtqvw– Steffen Bishop (@steffenbischof) February 25, 2020
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The worker son from Rüsselsheim (born July 21, 1935) was a trained toolmaker. He did his Abitur at the evening high school, studied philosophy, history and theology. His political foster father, the CDU social politician Hans Katzer (1919-1996), made the committed IG Metall member 1968 the chief executive of the CDU social committees. From 1977 onwards, Blüm headed the Christian Democratic Workforce (CDA) for ten years.
Former Labor Minister Norbert Blüm was socially involved – and even did cabaret
After retiring from federal politics, Blüm continued to be socially involved, wrote books, appeared on television as a talk show guest and even did cabaret.
Blüm had been married to Marita Blüm since 1964, whom he had met during his studies. The couple had three children: two daughters and son Christian, who is a member of the Kölschrock band Brings.
dpa / AFP / frs
*Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
List of rubric lists: © picture alliance / dpa / Rolf Vennenbernd
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