Arnold Masselter

Arnold Masselter (born May 11, 1922 in Merchweiler / Saar , † May 17, 1984 in Düsseldorf ) was a German local politician ( SPD ).

Life and work

Arnold Masselter was born as a miner's child. At the age of four he came to Duisburg and attended elementary school there. In April 1937 he began an apprenticeship as a machine fitter in the ironworks in Wanheim. At the end of his training, the war had broken out. From 1940 to 1945 he took part in the Second World War as a soldier . He became a fighter pilot and flight instructor. After the end of the war, he returned to his company in the summer of 1945, joined IG Metall in 1945 and joined the SPD. He became chairman of the Young Socialists in the Wanheim district and headed the JUSO sub-district Duisburg-Wesel from 1948 to 1950. In 1948 his colleagues at Rheinstahl Wanheim elected him to the works council for the first time. In 1949 he received the most votes when he was re-elected. In 1950 Masselter became deputy chairman of the works council and in 1953 chairman. He stayed that way until 1969, always with the highest number of votes.

Political party

Arnold Masselter had been a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany - SPD - since January 1, 1947 . On November 9, 1952, he was elected to the City Council of Duisburg for the first time . He was re-elected in all subsequent local elections, the last time being on November 9, 1969. In 1954 the SPD's city ​​council elected him deputy chairman. From August 1958 to November 1969 he was parliamentary group leader of the SPD in the city council of Duisburg.

MP

Masselter was from 1952 to 1974 council member of the city ​​of Duisburg . From 1955 to 1974 he was a member of the Rhineland Regional Assembly , which he chaired from 1970 as the successor to Cologne's Lord Mayor and political veteran Theo Burauen . From 1958 to 1970 he was a member of the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament .

Public offices

Arnold Masselter was unanimously chosen as a candidate for the election of the Lord Mayor, and on December 1, 1969, he was unanimously elected Lord Mayor of the city of Duisburg. He held this office until the end of 1974.

When he took office, he spoke out in favor of a "glass town hall" and wanted to be closer to the citizens. As Lord Mayor, he not only performed his representative duties, but also carried out detailed political work in a number of committees and supervisory boards, for example as chairman of the sports committee. The plans for recreation and leisure are inseparable from his name. The construction of the 6-Seen-Platte in the south of Duisburg is just as much his work as the creation of numerous sports facilities and the construction of the Wanheimer Rheinpromenade.

In 1974, now working as Commercial Director of Zoo Duisburg AG , Arnold Masselter announced that he no longer wanted to run for the City Council of Duisburg.

Web links

Arnold Masselter at the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia

source

"SPD parliamentary group 1945 - 1983 - responsibility for Duisburg", publisher: SPD parliamentary group in the City Council of Duisburg, responsible: Hans Lauer and Knut Schiffer (texts)