Karl Carstens (1979–1984)

Karl Carstens, born in 1914 in Bremen, studied law and political science in Hamburg and France. As well as gaining a doctorate, he completed a Master of Laws degree at Yale University in Connecticut. He joined the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) in 1955. In the same year he was employed by the Federal Foreign Office, where he ultimately became a State Secretary. He was elected to the German Bundestag in 1972 and became its President in 1976.

 Karl Carstens
DateBiography
1914Born on 14 December in Bremen.
Read law and political science in Germany, France and the US. Passed the first and second state law examinations; Completed a master's degree and a doctorate in law
1939-1945Soldier, Lieutenant in the anti-aircraft artillery
1945-1949Practised law in Bremen
1949-1954Commissioner of Bremen to the Federation
1950-1973Lectureship at the University of Cologne
1952Qualification to teach constitutional and international law in institutes of higher education
1954-1966Member of the Diplomatic Service
1954-1955Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg
1960-1966State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office
1960-1973Full professor at the University of Cologne
1967-1968State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Defence
1968-1969Head of the Federal Chancellery
1969-1972Head of the Research Institute of the German Society for Foreign Affairs in Bonn
1972-1979Member of the German Bundestag
1973-1976Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, member of the CDU Federal Executive Committee
1976-1979President of the German Bundestag
1979-1984Federal President
1992Died in Meckenheim

Karl Carstens was Protestant. He was married to Veronica Carstens, a doctor.