Erich Ganzenmüller

Erich Ganzenmüller (* 5. January 1914 in Stuttgart , † 24. August 1983 in Schwabisch Gmund ) was a German politician of the CDU .

education and profession

Ganzenmüller attended secondary school in Stuttgart. Then a teachers' seminar and a music college. As a student he became a member of the KStV Alamannia Tübingen in the KV . Until 1939 he worked as a teacher at various schools and then until 1945 as a soldier. After the war, Ganzenmüller was appointed professor for didactics and methodology of music at the Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Education . As a music teacher, he was particularly committed to promoting uniform support for the entire musical field.

Party and offices

After the war, Ganzenmüller was also politically active and joined the CDU. From 1950 he lived in Schwäbisch Gmünd. Soon afterwards he received a mandate from 1956 to 1976 in the municipal council of the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd and in the district council of the district of Schwäbisch Gmünd . From 1961 to 1975 he was also the deputy mayor . In 1960 he was elected as a member of the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg , where from 1968 he headed the CDU parliamentary group. In 1972 Lothar Späth took over the leadership of the CDU parliamentary group. Ganzenmüller was then elected deputy president of the state parliament and at the same time chairman of the cultural policy committee. After the President of the Landtag, Camill Wurz, declined to run again in 1976, Ganzenmüller was elected President of the Landtag. At the end of the legislative period, he then renounced a new candidacy in the state elections in 1980. The newly elected state parliament then elected Lothar Gaa as its new president.

"Affair Ganzenmüller"

Ganzenmüller often made a name for himself with an unfortunate choice of words. In 1966 he called the amendment to the Financial Equalization Act in the state parliament as an “ enabling law ”.

In 1971/72 the so-called “Ganzenmüller Affair” excited the public. At a CDU meeting in Bad Waldsee in December 1971, Ganzenmüller reported on information that he wanted to have received from German diplomatic circles in Rome . According to this, Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt owed his Nobel Peace Prize primarily to his good relations and would have had "his hands in a manipulative role". He also attacked Brandt and Wehner , using the Eastern Treaty to "bring the Federal Republic very close to the other bloc". The media coverage and outrage on the part of the SPD and FDP were great. His denials were refuted by tape recordings. Ganzenmüller distanced himself from his statements. The CDU parliamentary group took a protective position in front of him, but in 1972 elected Lothar Späth as the new parliamentary group leader.

In 1976 Ganzenmüller accused the Bundestag of having proceeded “not democratically, but dictatorially” over the reform of the abortion paragraph 218 , since the hospital owners had not been heard before the vote. Here, too, Ganzenmüller distanced himself after the media response. As a private citizen, he only made use of his right to freedom of expression and he was misunderstood.

honors and awards

Ganzenmüller was honored in numerous ways. In 1972 he received the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class , in 1976 the Great Federal Cross of Merit, in 1979 the Great Cross of Merit with Star and in 1980 the Great Cross of Merit with Star and Shoulder Ribbon.

The state of Baden-Württemberg honored him with the Baden-Württemberg State Medal of Merit in 1978 .

In 1976 Ganzenmüller was awarded the ring of honor by the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd.

He was also made an honorary citizen of the city of Neresheim in 1977 and of the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd in 1981. As early as 1979 the Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Education awarded him honorary citizenship.

The Brass Music Association of Baden-Württemberg awards the Erich Ganzenmüller Medal in three stages for special merits in promoting or working in the interests of brass and minstrel music .

In addition, he received numerous awards as part of his voluntary work.

Honorary positions

• President of the Federal Association of German Wind and Folk Musicians
• Chairman of the Kolping Education Association in Württemberg
• Representative of the wind organizations in the working group for music education and maintenance of the German Music Council
• Conductor of the choral society Alpenrose , the singing choir of the Kolping Family and the Liederkranz Straßdorf

Family and private

Ganzenmüller's grave in the Leonhard Cemetery

In addition to his political activities, Ganzenmüller also devoted himself to music. During his time as a teacher, he led several choirs. He was President of the Federal Association of German Wind and Folk Music Associations. As a pupil and student he was also an avid handball player. Ganzenmüller fell ill shortly after he left active politics and died three years later at the age of only 69. He was buried in the Leonhard Cemetery in Gmünd .

He was married to Anne and had four children.

literature

• Johannes Riede: Honorary Citizen Professor Erich Ganzenmüller in memory . In: einhorn yearbook Schwäbisch Gmünd 1983 . Einhorn-Verlag, Schwäbisch Gmünd 1983, ISBN 3-921703-54-9 , p. 92f.
• Ernst Lämmle: From the German Empire through the time of the world wars to the democratic republic . In: History of the City of Schwäbisch Gmünd . Edited by the Schwäbisch Gmünd city archive , Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 1984, ISBN 3-8062-0399-7 .

Individual evidence

1. ^ Siegfried Koß, Wolfgang Löhr (Hrsg.): Biographisches Lexikon des KV. 2nd part (= Revocatio historiae. Volume 3). SH-Verlag, Schernfeld 1993, ISBN 3-923621-98-1 , p. 36ff.
2. ↑ A Swabian coup. Stuttgart is canceling the fare for students km . In: Die Zeit , No. 15/1966.
3. ↑ It's a lot . In: Der Spiegel . No. 50 , 1971 ( online ).
4. ^ Lämmle, p. 518.
5. ^ Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Main State Archive Stuttgart: Chronicle of the Week Baden-Württemberg SDR 1 / 1971–1974; December 1971 . Holdings R 5/003 D711038 / 103 , title: Does Willy Brandt owe the Nobel Peace Prize manipulation and personal relationships? Statements by the CDU parliamentary group leader Erich Ganzenmüller in Baden-Württemberg put a strain on the fate of the grand coalition . Broadcast of SDR 1 on December 4, 1971; Retrieved February 21, 2010.
6. ↑ Personal details . In: Der Spiegel . No. 39 , 1976 ( online ).
7. ↑ Honorary Regulations of the BVBW , accessed on February 21, 2010.