Heinrich Lübke, born in 1894 in Enkhausen in the Sauerland, studied agriculture, geodesy and agricultural engineering, and later also economics and administrative law. He volunteered for military service in World War I. He later worked as executive director of the Westfälischer Pächter- und Siedlerbund (Westphalian Tenants and Settlers Association) as well as for the Deutsche Bauernschaft (German Farmers Federation) and in 1931 was elected to the Prussian Landtag (state parliament) for the Centre Party. In 1933 Lübke was dismissed from all offices and arrested. After his release in 1935 he worked in the construction industry.