Wilhelm Varnholt

Wilhelm Varnholt (born June 3, 1925 in Gütersloh , † April 5, 1983 in Malindi , Kenya ) was a German politician ( SPD ).

Life

Wilhelm Varnholt began his professional career as an inspector at the city of Gütersloh. He later became treasurer in Gladbeck and in 1964 director of the finance department in Mannheim . In 1968 he was elected mayor and treasurer of the sister city of Ludwigshafen am Rhein . In 1973 he returned to Mannheim when the local council elected him first mayor and finance officer. In 1980 he won the election for Lord Mayor of Mannheim against Roland Hartung ( CDU ).

politics

The planetarium opened in 1984.

As a treasurer in the 1970s, Varnholt was responsible for financing a number of major projects in Mannheim, such as the Federal Garden Show in 1975 , the expansion of the rose garden and the establishment of pedestrian zones in the city center.

During his relatively short term as Lord Mayor, the new construction of the planetarium and the expansion of the art gallery fell . The plans for the relocation of the May Market and the construction of the State Museum for Technology and Work were started and continued .

The term of office was overshadowed by the second oil crisis , which led to a recession with rising unemployment figures and falling tax revenues. The city budget therefore had to be strictly consolidated.

During the 375th anniversary of the city , a helicopter with parachutists from Mannheim and the twin cities of Toulon and Swansea crashed in 1982 and 46 people died. Varnholt then canceled all further celebrations.

Honors

The University of Mannheim awarded Varnholt the University Medal in Gold. After his death in 1984, the city of Mannheim named a square after him, renamed Wilhelm-Varnholt-Allee in 1986 .

See also

• List of the Lord Mayors of Mannheim

Individual evidence

1. ↑ MARCHIVUM: Street names, Wilhelm-Varnholt-Allee. Retrieved August 27, 2018 .