Helmut Schmidt was born on 23 December 1918 in Hamburg. A German Social Democrat, Schmidt served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982, succeeding Willy Brandt. He earlier gained praise as Hamburg's interior senator for his handling of the 1962 North Sea flood, and as defense and finance minister. As chancellor he dealt with the oil crisis, the economic recession and the challenge of left-wing terrorism of the Red Army Faction, notably in the German Autumn of 1977. He promoted European cooperation, working with Valery Giscard d'Estaing to create the European Monetary System, and supported NATO's double-track decision on missiles, which cost him support in his party. He lost power in a vote of no confidence.
Before and after
- from 1 December 1918 to 30 June 1930Occupation of the Rhineland
- from 5 December 1918 to 11 August 1920Latvian War of Independence
- 11 December 1918Birth of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- 21 December 1918Birth of Kurt Waldheim
- 23 December 1918Birth of Helmut Schmidt
- 25 December 1918Birth of Anwar Sadat
- from 31 December 1918 to 5 January 1919Battles for Vilnius
- 1919Founding of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
- 1919Founding of Leeds United F.C.
More in Wars, politics & history
- from 8 March 1917 to 16 March 1917February Revolution
- from 1 August 1927 to 1 May 1950Chinese Civil War
- from 7 July 1937 to 9 September 1945Second Sino-Japanese War
- from 22 June 1941 to 7 May 1945Eastern Front
- 7 December 1941Attack on Pearl Harbor
- 1944Golden Globes
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.