The Life and Work of Dr. Hanns Seidel
Dr. Hanns Seidel was born on 12 October 1901 in Schweinheim, today a district of Aschaffenburg. At an early age, he had to become self-reliant, as his widowed mother was responsible for raising four children. He worked in the mining industry, obtained certification as a mining technician, and later worked in the securities department of a bank. Equally demanding was his course of study, which included German studies, economics, and law. In 1929, Seidel earned his doctorate in law in Würzburg and opened a legal practice in Aschaffenburg.
Dr. Hanns Seidel became a member of the Bavarian People’s Party. At the beginning of the “Third Reich,” the new rulers temporarily placed him under so-called “protective custody.”
In 1945, he became District Councillor of Aschaffenburg and was among the co-founders of the Christian Social Union (CSU). He was also a member of the Constituent State Assembly. In 1946, he was elected to the Bavarian State Parliament (Landtag), of which he remained a member until his death. In 1947, Dr. Hans Ehard appointed him Minister of Economic Affairs in his cabinet. Hanns Seidel fulfilled the expectations placed upon him, guiding Bavaria with a firm hand through the currency reform toward a secure future. During his seven years as Minister of Economic Affairs, Bavaria transformed from an agrarian state into one with a sound economic structure. He paved the way toward becoming a modern industrial state carefully, yet with determination.
In 1954, the Christian Social Union (CSU) became the strongest party in Bavaria, although it was forced to remain in opposition. Hanns Seidel became Leader of the Opposition and, one year later, Chairman of the CSU in Bavaria. In 1957, after the collapse of the “Coalition of Four” following the federal elections to the Bundestag (German Parliament), he became Minister-President of Bavaria. In 1958, he was once again entrusted with forming the government. That same year, while on an official trip, the Chairman of the CSU and Minister-President of Bavaria was seriously injured in a car accident. From the spring of 1960 onward, these injuries confined him to a hospital bed. In January 1960, he resigned as Minister-President, and in February 1961 he also stepped down as Chairman of the CSU. Dr. Hanns Seidel passed away on 6 August 1961.
In October 1967, the Hanns Seidel Foundation held its first public event in Munich. The Foundation was established in memory of the unforgettable Bavarian Minister-President and CSU Chairman, Dr. Hanns Seidel. Its principal mission became the promotion of political education based on Christian values. In the Foundation’s understanding, political education should enable every citizen to navigate an increasingly complex world. Therefore, the Foundation focused its work primarily on deepening citizens’ knowledge and understanding of political developments as a prerequisite for responsible political conduct, encouraging active participation in political life, and inspiring politically aware citizens to assume civic responsibility.