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104-529: Since 5 July 2015, parts of the Kontorhaus district and the adjacent Speicherstadt district have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Since the 17th century, the area has been densely built-up; the result was a so-called Gängeviertel ( "corridor quarter" ) with many narrow alleys. The density of the buildings increased even more when there was a housing shortage after the Hamburg fire in 1842 . In 1892,

208-540: A rococo portal, which was integrated into a new building by Arthur Viol in 1885–1888; and the police station at Klingberg, which directly adjoins the Chile House. New buildings such as the "Danske Hus" and the "Neue Dovenhof", which were built in the 1990s, follow the style of the existing clinker brick buildings. Most of the buildings in the Kontohausviertel are listed buildings . At the 39th meeting of

312-552: A 5-day week, raised the minimum working age from 14 to 15, increased leave, improved conditions for release from work for day attendance at vocational training school and for periods of weeks under the block release system, and improved protection at work by restrictions on employment in dangerous or unhealthy work. A law on protection against dismissal was amended by abolishing the minimum age limit of 18, so that young workers under eighteen were now also protected against dismissal. The Ministry for Youth, Family Affairs and Health encouraged

416-579: A Rehabilitation Benefits Alignment Act was passed, with the intention of promoting rehabilitation of the disabled by extending certain benefits to them. To meet the need for more uniform medical treatment in rural areas and on the peripheral of cities due to a lack of panel doctors in those areas, a bill was passed in December 1976 which improved the possibilities of panel doctors' associations by ensuring that panel doctors were available to provide treatment, while also providing for planning according to need and

520-503: A chancellor was removed from office in this way. Although Schmidt did not feel that he was in a position to substantially extend the social reforms of the Brandt Administration , due to the economic problems he encountered during his time as chancellor, a wide range of reforms were nevertheless carried out under his administration. Increases were made to pensions , which went up in numerical terms. Adjusted for changes in

624-401: A cholera epidemic broke out and the poor hygienic conditions in the neighbourhood caused the disease to spread dramatically – it was then decided to redevelop the area. As a result, many inhabitants were resettled. Fritz Schumacher , who had been Director of Construction and Head of Building Construction since 1909 prevailed in the replanning of the site; the increasing space requirements of

728-504: A considerable growth in home help services and social centres. A regulation in application of a 1974 law on old people's homes and adult hostels was introduced, according to which compulsory consultative committees could be set up by the residents to ensure their participation in the running of these establishments in a greater measure than in the past. A law passed in August 1974 supplemented the protection provided for handicapped people under

832-720: A consultative committee. A law of June 1975 amended the Employment Protection Law and the Law on the provision of temporary workers which improved the legal protection of temporary migrants workers in West Germany. A law of December 1975 gave the right to claim under the sickness insurance scheme for medical consultations for family planning purposes. A law of May 1975 extended social security to disabled persons according to various procedures. A law of April 1976 on youth employment limited working hours to 40 hours in

936-403: A four-year period) to increase the number of vocational training places from 450,000 to 630,000 a year. In 1976, a provisional law was introduced to boost the number of apprentices, which reduced the numbers of young people out of work. An experimental retraining programme was launched on the shop floor (lasting from 1979 to 1981), which benefited 45,680 people. In June 1974, a reformed food law

1040-608: A home and in obtaining and keeping a job, in addition to guidance as regards training and the organization of leisure time. The general section of the Social Code, which came into effect in January 1976, introduced basic measures concerning the social services. It laid down an obligation to establish the services and institutions needed by the population and to provide them with information and advice on their social rights. These provisions had already had certain effects, in particular

1144-855: A large element of German immigrants. Bergen's kontor is on the UNESCO list of the World Cultural Heritage sites. The Hanseatic Warehouse in King's Lynn in Norfolk , actually a factory instead of a kontor, England survives, but was converted into offices in 1971. The word "kontor" spread via the Hanseatic League. The word kontor continues to mean "office" in the Scandinavian languages and in Estonian , as well as in

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1248-414: A law on the promotion of urban development. A law of October 1979 granted a lump-sum allowance for the winter of 1979/80 to help low-income groups to meet the additional outlay incurred by the rise in fuel costs. In August 1979, a programme was adopted for foreign refugees, with resources allocated for aid concerning information, legal advice, psycho-social and medical assistance and for measures to facilitate

1352-604: A law passed during the Brandt Administration in April 1974 by providing that, henceforth, the benefits for the purposes of medical and occupational rehabilitation would be the same for all the categories of persons concerned: war victims, the sick, the victims of industrial accidents, congenitally handicapped persons: a total of about 4 million persons in all. The 1976 Act for the Promotion of Urban Development and

1456-712: A merchant's corporation ( universitas mercatorum ) and served to facilitate the Hanseatic League 's trade. They had their own treasury, seal, code of rules, legal power to enforce rules on residents and administration. They were usually also merchant enclaves; the Kontor of Bruges was an exception. Security was the primary reason for the formation of kontors, but kontors also played an important role in inspecting trade goods and diplomacy with local and regional authorities. Each kontor had its own unique kind of administration, although there were clear similarities between

1560-640: A minority government composed only of SPD members, while the FDP negotiated a coalition with the CDU/CSU. During this time, Schmidt also headed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On 1 October 1982, the FDP supported a CDU-proposed constructive vote of no confidence , ousting Schmidt in favour of CDU chairman Helmut Kohl as the new chancellor. This was the only time in the history of the Federal Republic that

1664-461: A one-year full-time course of training to qualify them for a training place or job, and in September 1980, approximately 15,000 young people were participating in these courses. From 1980 onwards, parents could deduct the cost of day care for their children (in day nurseries and nursery schools in particular) from their taxable income up to an annual maximum of DM 600 or DM 1,200 depending on whether

1768-483: A pilot scheme, of a scientific nature, aimed at promoting the development of qualified advisory services on family planning, sexual problems and problems linked with pregnancy. A regulation of June 1976 laid down detailed rules governing 'aid to overcome particular social difficulties'. This measure was specially aimed at marginal social groups, such as former convicts and the homeless, and consisted of providing information, personal guidance, help in obtaining and maintaining

1872-663: A real decline in the income and purchasing power of workers". A law was passed to encourage low-income home ownership, while 250 million marks was provided in 1978 for the promotion of sports and physical education. That same year, entitlement to educational allowances was extended to all tenth-grade pupils in vocational education. The Introductory Tax Reform Law (1974) increased bad weather payments, part-time workers' benefits and insurance benefits to 68% of net wages, fixed special benefits during vocational training at 90% of net earnings, increased assistance benefits to 58% of net earnings, and abolished special family benefits "in favour of

1976-440: A regulation of December 1976, four new occupational diseases were recognised. To expand training opportunities for girls, a pilot scheme was launched in 1978 to open up certain skilled industrial and technical occupations to them. Laws restricting the access of migrant workers to certain regions were repealed in 1977, and the existing provisions were made more flexible in order to allow the children of migrant workers who had entered

2080-560: A result of receipt of benefits under the public insurance system. The Social Insurance Law for the Handicapped (1975) extended compulsory coverage to disabled persons working in special establishments for the disabled (medical benefits and cash benefits to replace earnings from work). In 1976, a new declaration of social rights was made, and in 1979, an Act was passed which lowered the pensionable age for severely disabled persons to 61 years, and to 60 years as from 1980. In October 1974,

2184-458: A smaller amount than in 1974) and maternity leave benefits. The increases in benefits under the Schmidt administration arguably had a positive impact on reducing inequalities, with the percentage of West Germans living in poverty (according to one measurement) falling between 1978 and 1982. Under the law of June 1974, the residents could participate in the management of the establishment through

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2288-423: A working-class district of Hamburg , in 1918. Schmidt studied at Hamburg Lichtwark School, graduating in 1937. Schmidt's father was born the biological son of a German Jewish banker, Ludwig Gumpel, and a Christian waitress, Friederike Wenzel, and then covertly adopted, although this was kept a family secret for many years. This was confirmed publicly by Schmidt in 1984, after Valéry Giscard d'Estaing revealed

2392-570: A world without him. He was also good friends with former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau . At the 4th G7 summit in 1978, the two discussed strategies for the upcoming Canadian federal election , and Schmidt gave him advice on economic policy. In 2011, Schmidt made a pilgrimage to the Trudeau family vault in St-Rémi-de-Napierville Cemetery , accompanied by Jean Chrétien and Tom Axworthy . Schmidt admired

2496-625: A year or more could unblock savings plans before the end of the freeze without losing the financial benefits offered by the State. A new special programme with funds of DM 100 million was launched at the start of 1978 to improve training and job opportunities for the disabled. The budget of the Federal Labour Office was increased exceptionally by more than 20%, whilst special emphasis was placed on measures to promote vocational training, job creation, advanced training and retraining. The aim

2600-400: Is that it changed to 2 in the first half of the 15th century, and that after a change in 1476 two aldermen held the post alternately. Another view is that Bryggen had one alderman from the 15th century. The Peterhof had one. Alderman usually held their position for a term of a year. All resident and visiting Hanseatic traders fell under the authority of the kontor's administration. At

2704-585: The 1976 federal election , in coalition with the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP). He adopted a tough, uncompromising line with the indigenous Red Army Faction (RAF) extremists. In October 1977, he ordered an anti-terrorist unit of Bundesgrenzschutz policemen to end the Palestinian terrorist hijacking of a Lufthansa aircraft named Landshut , staged to secure the release of imprisoned RAF leaders, after it landed in Mogadishu , Somalia. Three of

2808-815: The Inter Action Councils in 1983. He retired from the Bundestag in 1986. In December 1986, he was one of the founders of the committee supporting the EMU and the creation of the European Central Bank . Contrary to the line of his party, Schmidt was a determined opponent of Turkey's bid to join the EU . He also opposed phasing out nuclear energy , something that the Red-Green coalition of Gerhard Schröder supported. In 2007, Schmidt described

2912-698: The Peterhof in Novgorod the office of alderman was replaced by the hofknecht in the 15th century, after the Livonian towns gained authority over the Peterhof. The hofknecht was an appointee of the Livonian towns who was a permanent resident and could speak Russian. Aldermen were supported by the achteinen or Achtzehnmänner , officials that fulfilled special functions and had the authority to represent

3016-572: The Senate of Hamburg , and from 1961 to 1965, Schmidt was the Innensenator : the senator of the interior. He gained a reputation as a Macher – someone who gets things done regardless of obstacles – by his effective management during the emergency caused by the 1962 flood , during which 300 people drowned. Schmidt used all means at his disposal to alleviate the situation, even when that meant overstepping his legal authority, including employing

3120-702: The Siege of Leningrad ), he returned to Germany in 1942 to work as a trainer and advisor at the Ministry of Aviation . During his service in World War II, Schmidt was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class. He attended the People's Court as a military spectator at some of the show trials for officers involved in the 20 July plot , in which an unsuccessful attempt was made to assassinate Hitler at Rastenburg , and

3224-466: The chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Before becoming chancellor, he served as the minister of defence (1969–1972) and the minister of finance (1972–1974) in the government of Willy Brandt . In the latter role he gained credit for his financial policies. He had also briefly been minister of economics and acting foreign minister. As chancellor, he focused on international affairs, seeking "political unification of Europe in partnership with

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3328-451: The federal police and army units (ignoring the German constitution 's prohibition on using the army for "internal affairs"; a clause excluding disasters was not added until 1968). Describing his actions, Schmidt said, "I wasn't put in charge of these units – I took charge of them!" He saved a further 1,000 lives and swiftly managed the re-housing of thousands of the homeless. In 1965, he

3432-465: The street canyons more open at the top, the upper floors are often set back from the main front of the house. Decorative elements on the facade are also made of clinker brick; in addition, elements (often sculptures ) of ceramics were used for the design, most of which have a connection to Hamburg trade and crafts. One of the most famous and architecturally pioneering buildings, the Chilehaus ,

3536-569: The "Hubertushaus" office building. Two other buildings, the Altstädter Hof and the Bartholomayhaus were designed by Rudolf Klophaus. The fictitious gable of the Bartholomayhaus, a reminiscence of the old Hanseatic town houses, was already considered obsolete at the time of its construction. The sandstone sculptures at the Altstädter Hof were also designed by Richard Kuöhl, who also designed the larger-than-life Hermes sculpture at

3640-702: The 1970s, West Germany was able to weather the global financial storm far better than almost all the other developed countries, with unemployment and inflation kept at comparatively low levels. During the 1976 election campaign, the SPD/FDP coalition was able to win the battle of statistics, whether the figures related to employees' incomes, strikes, unemployment, growth, or public sector debts. Amongst other social improvements, old age pensions had been doubled between 1969 and 1976, and unemployment benefits increased to 68% of previous earnings. Whilst visiting Saudi Arabia in April 1981, Schmidt made some unguarded remarks about

3744-477: The 1977 Housing Modernisation Act, together with the 1971 Act for the Promotion of Urban Development passed by the Brandt Administration, enabled most West German cities by the end of the Seventies to introduce programmes aimed at renovating their pre-war residential areas. Additional tax reforms were introduced that lowered the tax burden on low-income households, and which played an important role "in pre-empting

3848-486: The FDP politicians strongly supported that policy. While representatives of the left-wing of the Social Democratic Party opposed reduction of the state expenditures, the FDP began proposing a monetarist economic policy. In February 1982, Schmidt won a motion of confidence ; however on 17 September 1982, the coalition broke apart, with the four FDP ministers leaving his cabinet. Schmidt continued to lead

3952-700: The Federal Republic of Germany in 1975/76 access to employment. Legislation governing old people's homes and adult assistance establishments was further supplemented by two regulations, one imposing minimum requirements concerning premises, and the other laying down rules for financial management to ensure that residents were not financially exploited. The Fifth Amendment of July 1979 to the Employment Promotion Law provided among other things for an improvement in conditions governing financial support towards basic vocational training for unemployed young people with at least one year's vocational experience,

4056-740: The French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing , he was one of the fathers of the world economic summits , the first of which assembled in 1975. In 1975, he was a signatory of the Helsinki Accords to create the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe , the precursor of today's OSCE . In 1978, he helped set up the European Monetary System (EMS). He remained as Chancellor after

4160-724: The German officer corps, and the situation of non-commissioned officers was improved. In July 1972, he succeeded Karl Schiller as Minister for Economics and Finance, but in November 1972, he relinquished the Economics department, which was again made a separate ministry. Schmidt remained Minister of Finance and faced the prospect of rising inflation. Shortly before the Oil Shock of 1973, which rattled Britain and United States, Schmidt agreed that European currencies should be floated against

4264-624: The Hanseatic League), with a degree of legal autonomy. Most kontors were also enclaves. They were located, in London (the Steelyard ), Bruges ( Kontor of Bruges , later moved to Antwerp ), Bergen ( Bryggen ), and Novgorod ( Peterhof ). Smaller Hanseatic trading posts were called factorien , i.e., factories . The kontors were established as corporations or guilds of senior merchants from trade guilds. The main reason to found them

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4368-588: The Industrial Code of August 1979, machines and equipment which had been voluntarily submitted for testing and passed by an established body may bear the marking 'GS' (=safety-tested). For medical equipment, the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs was authorized to issue orders containing further safety provisions, while the resale of hazardous equipment and its display at exhibitions may be prohibited in future by factory inspectors even in

4472-473: The Israel-Palestine conflict that succeeded in aggravating the delicate relations between Israel and West Germany. Asked by a reporter about the moral aspect of German-Israeli relations, he stated that Israel was not in a position to criticise Germany due to its handling of Palestinians, and "That won't do. And in particular, it won't do for a German living in a divided nation and laying moral claim to

4576-589: The Soviets not disarm. This decision was unpopular with the German public. A mass demonstration against the deployment mobilised 400,000 people in October 1981. At the beginning of his period as chancellor, Schmidt was a proponent of Keynesian economics , and pursued expansionary monetary and fiscal policies during his tenure. Between 1979 and 1982, the Schmidt administration pursued such policies in an effort to reduce unemployment. These were moderately successful, as

4680-673: The UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Bonn on 5 July 2015, the Kontorhausviertel and the Speicherstadt were added to the list of World Heritage Sites. Kontor A kontor (also Kontor ) ( English: / k ɒ n ˈ t ɔːr / ) was a major foreign trading post of the Hanseatic League . Kontors were legal entities established in a foreign city (ie. a city that did not belong to

4784-484: The US Dollar. He remained in charge of finance until May 1974. Schmidt became Chancellor of West Germany on 16 May 1974, after Brandt's resignation in the wake of an espionage scandal . The worldwide economic recession was the main problem his administration faced, and Schmidt took a tough and disciplined line, in reduction of public spending. Schmidt was also active in improving relations with France. Together with

4888-612: The United States and the Soviet Union , but differed on trade and economic issues. By the end of his term, however, Schmidt had turned away from deficit spending , due to a deteriorating economic situation, and a number of welfare cuts were carried out, including smaller increases in child benefits and higher unemployment and health contributions. Large sections of the SPD increasingly opposed his security policy, while most of

4992-588: The United States" amidst the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and issuing proposals that led to the NATO Double-Track Decision in 1979 to deploy U.S. Pershing II missiles to Europe. He was an energetic diplomat who sought European co-operation and international economic co-ordination and was the leading force in creating the European Monetary System in 1978. He was re-elected chancellor in 1976 and 1980, but his coalition fell apart in 1982 with

5096-405: The allowable duration of unemployment benefit payment was extended to twenty-four months during periods of general recession. The 1976 law on standard terms of sale gave consumer groups the right to file suits against companies employing unfair terms of sale. The Higher Education Framework Act of 1976 pronounced that scientific continuing education was a task to be implemented by the institutions of

5200-457: The allowance was designed to facilitate reintegration into working life. This allowance guaranteed the spouse protection under the agricultural sickness insurance scheme, which also covered self-employed fishermen and beekeepers. A special programme was introduced, specially designed for young people who, because of their poor level of education and language ability, were unable to find a suitable job or training place. The young people were offered

5304-420: The annual price index, pensions went up in real terms. However the rate of pension was not changed in 1978 (even though prices increased by 2.7%), and in 1980 and 1981 the real value of pensions fell by 1.5% and 2.3%, respectively. Improvements were made in family allowances, with monthly subsidies for children increased by over 100% in 1975. Improvements were made to invalidity and old-age pension provision for

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5408-586: The authority of the kontor leadership, trade, taxes, duties, rights and contact with natives and outsiders. Most kontor buildings have not survived, only Bergen's kontor , known as Bryggen in Norway , and the Oosterlingenhuis in Bruges have survived until the present day. The Hanseatic kontor at Bryggen was closed in 1754 and replaced by a "Norwegian kontor", run by Norwegian citizens, but still with

5512-428: The average outpost. The typical Hanseatic outpost, also called factory, had a representative merchant and a warehouse ; many did not operate all year. These are not considered kontors in the literature but popular discussions are often confused. Kontor is Middle Low German . It comes from French comptoir , from Latin computāre "calculate, compute". The kontors were legal entities established as

5616-624: The beginning of World War I: like sleepwalkers." Clark later disputed comparisons between the Russo-Ukrainian War and World War I, saying in 2022, "The first world war began in an incredibly complex, around-the-houses way. Whereas in the case of the invasion of Ukraine, in 2014 and this year, it's quite clearly a case of the breach of the peace by just one power." Schmidt was the author of numerous books on his political life, on foreign policy, and political ethics . He made appearances in numerous television talk shows, and remained one of

5720-724: The case of trading companies. In 1979 DM 219 million was set aside for about 80,000 dwellings under the modernisation programme for dwellings worthy of preservation run jointly by the Federal authorities and the individual Länder (50% of this money was earmarked for modernization priority areas). In addition, DM 2,350 million was made available under a five-year programme to improve the housing stock. Loans and higher tax rebates were also used to encourage modernisation of dwellings and energy-saving measures. 577 slum clearance and urban development schemes in 459 municipalities were also accorded financial support amounting to DM 183.5 million under

5824-624: The climate debate as "hysterically overheated". When asked about social media, Schmidt said he perceived the internet as "threatening". He was particularly concerned about the superficiality of communication on the web. On 16 May 2014, Schmidt said the Russo-Ukrainian War was dangerous, because, "Europe, the Americans and also Russia are behaving in a way that Christopher Clark described in his book The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 that's very much worth reading, as

5928-587: The company Dobbertin & Co. and the Reederei Komrowski was built according to the plans of the architects Distel und Grubitz. The Montanhof is characterised by the typical – and in this case repeatedly – recessed upper floors. The facade of the clinker brick building is decorated with numerous Art Deco decorations. Hans and Oskar Gerson designed another building in the quarter, the Meßberghof. In cooperation with Fritz Wischer, Max Bach built

6032-509: The conditions for investment in the privately financed construction of rented dwellings were improved by the reintroduction of decreasing depreciation for buildings. In order to take the situation of the unemployed into account to the maximum possible extent in asset formation policy, certain legal provisions were amended so that in the event of unemployment, personal payments could be made to continue savings plans which entailed employers contributions. In addition, workers who had been unemployed for

6136-554: The current word for "office" in Russian is usually о́фис ( ofis ). This European history –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Helmut Schmidt Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt ( German: [ˈhɛlmuːt ˈʃmɪt] ; 23 December 1918 – 10 November 2015) was a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), who served as

6240-438: The elderly. By 1982, the purchasing power of the average pension was 2.5% better than in 1975. In 1975, tax allowances were replaced by child benefits, while payment for the first child was introduced. A tax relief act reduced income taxes and provided additional tax benefits for housing allowances. The Schmidt administration also introduced social policy legislation in the late 1970s, which increased family allowances (though by

6344-443: The expansion of training activities for jobs in which there is a shortage of skilled workers and easier access to further vocational training facilities for problem groups (such as the unskilled, the unemployed, and women generally). In 1979, the Federal Minister for Education and Science made funds available for a new further education establishment to train instructors. Under a law amending the law respecting technical working media and

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6448-418: The fact to journalists, apparently with Schmidt's assent. Helmut Schmidt was a non-practising Protestant . Schmidt was a group leader (Scharführer) in the Hitler Youth organisation until 1936, when he was demoted and sent on leave because of his anti-Nazi views. However, documents from 1942 praise his "Impeccable national socialist [Nazi] behaviour", and in 1944 his superiors mentioned that Schmidt "stands

6552-509: The fiscal measures introduced after 1977, with reductions in income and wealth taxes and an increase in the medium-term public investment programme, were estimated to have created 160,000 additional jobs in 1978–79, or 300,000 if additional public sector employment was included in the figure. The small reduction in the unemployment rate, however, was achieved at the cost of a larger budget deficit (which rose from 31.2 billion DM to 75.7 billion DM in 1981), brought about by fiscal expansion. During

6656-448: The four kidnappers were killed during the assault on the plane, but all 86 passengers were rescued unharmed. Schmidt was re-elected as Chancellor in November 1980. Concerned about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan , and the Soviet superiority regarding missiles in Central Europe, Schmidt issued proposals resulting in the NATO Double-Track Decision , concerning the deployment of medium-range nuclear missiles in Western Europe, should

6760-532: The gravest cases to 15 years, and proclaimed rehabilitation to be the objective of incarceration. In 1977, a Sex Discrimination Act was passed. In 1981, a legal aid system was established to facilitate access to courts of law. In 1982, along with his friend Gerald Ford , he co-founded the annual AEI World Forum . The following year he joined the nationwide weekly Die Zeit newspaper as co-publisher, also acting as its director from 1985 to 1989. In 1985, he became managing director. With Takeo Fukuda he founded

6864-435: The ground of national socialist ideology, knowing that he must pass it on." On 27 June 1942, he married his childhood sweetheart Hannelore "Loki" Glaser (3 March 1919 – 21 October 2010). They had two children: Helmut Walter (26 June 1944 – 19 February 1945, died of meningitis), and Susanne  [ de ] (born 8 May 1947), who works in London for Bloomberg Television . Schmidt resumed his education in Hamburg after

6968-412: The inclusion of the unemployed under general child allowance scheme". A special tax credit was introduced in 1978 in cases of particular financial burden due to children, while a substantial increase in the child allowance was made in 1979. Several policy changes were carried out between 1976 and 1982, such as tax credits and family allowances, which compensated unions for wage restraint and "guaranteed

7072-583: The income of a single parent or that of a married couple was involved. Major additions were also made to the regulations on dangerous substances, while comprehensive new regulations concerning installations requiring supervision were introduced. The Federal Ministry for Youth, Family Affairs and Health gave particular attention to assisting parents in assuming their educational responsibilities towards their children. For instance, special 'letters to parents' were distributed free of charge to parents of children under 8, with some 3 million sent in 1979. A determined effort

7176-472: The integration of refugees or their emigration to other countries. Under a law of July 1980, a farmer's surviving spouse wishing to continue working on the farm could obtain a helper or temporary aid from the agricultural pension fund. Any spouse choosing not to do so was entitled to a survivor's allowance if he or she was no longer able to find suitable paid employment either for reasons of age (over 45) or because there were children to bring up. In other cases,

7280-441: The kontor when needed. They usually numbered eighteen, but in Bruges their number was later lowered to nine. The kontors of Bruges, London and Bergen got a new secretarial position in the middle of the 15th century, the clerk. A clerk had gone to university to study law and was highly literate in Latin and in difficult legal literature. His duties were to provide the aldermen with legal advice and to manage correspondence. The clerk

7384-430: The kontors. Aldermen ( oldermenn , hovetlude or procuratores ) formed the internal legal authority and a representative to the rest of the Hanseatic League and to local authorities. The numbers of aldermen varied. The kontor of Bruges had first six and later three aldermen, and the Steelyard had one Hanseatic alderman and one English alderman. It is assumed that Bryggen had 6 aldermen at first. One view about Bryggen

7488-533: The main entrance of the "Mohlenhof", one of the few office buildings that survived the Second World War almost unscathed. Several publishers were based in the Pressehaus ( press house ), today Helmut-Schmidt -Haus – another work by Klophaus. Two formative buildings were already built before Schumacher's redesign of the quarter: the house at Schopenstehl 32 , a house originally built in 1780 with

7592-552: The maintenance of a constant income level for employed persons and their families". Increases were made in child benefits, which rose on a regular basis (particularly for families with more than one child) for most of the years that the Schmidt Administration was in office. Various measures were also carried out to mitigate the effects of unemployment. Employment creation schemes were introduced to help young workers. The Training Opportunities Act (1976) helped (over

7696-636: The mid 14th century the League subordinated all trading posts including the Kontors to the Diet's decisions, and the kontors' envoys also received the right to attend and speak at Diets but they lacked voting power. Kontors had their own code of regulations each, applied in. The statutes were written in Middle Low German and recited to the trader community once a year. They regulated matters like

7800-710: The most renowned political publicists in Germany until his death. In his later years, Schmidt gained a positive reputation as an elder statesman across party lines in Germany. Schmidt described the assassinated Egyptian president Anwar Sadat as one of his friends from the world of politics, and maintained a friendship with ex-president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing of France. His circle also included former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and former U.S. Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger . Kissinger went on record as stating that he wished to predecease Helmut Schmidt, because he would not wish to live in

7904-516: The national board of the SPD ( Bundesvorstand ), and campaigned against nuclear weapons and the equipping of the Bundeswehr with such devices. He alarmed some in his party by taking part in manoeuvres as a reserve officer in the newly formed Bundeswehr. In 1962, he gave up his seat in parliament to concentrate on his tasks in Hamburg. The government of the city-state of Hamburg is known as

8008-650: The northwestern parts of Germany (where the word Büro is the common name) that used to be Danish, all the way to Altona , once built next to the rich Hansestadt Hamburg as the Danish trading competitor, while kantoor is used in Dutch . Probably from Dutch, and quite possibly thanks to Peter the Great , the word, as конто́ра ( kontora ), is also one term for "office" or "bureau" in Russian and Ukrainian , though

8112-437: The participation of the sickness insurances. An Act of August 1975 on criminal law reform introduced "other forms of assistance" such as medical advice on contraception, together with assistance pertaining to sterilisation and abortion. New assistance benefits were created in 1975 for family planning and maternity consultations, whilst a constant attendance allowance was increased. Housing renovation and energy savings legislation

8216-402: The party. In October 1969, he entered the government of Willy Brandt as defense minister. During his term in office, the military conscription time was reduced from 18 to 15 months, while at the same time increasing the number of young men being conscripted. Additionally, Schmidt decided to introduce the Bundeswehr universities in Hamburg and Munich to broaden the academic education of

8320-435: The preservation of pension rights". By 1976, as a result of this legislation, 65% of private sector employees were covered by occupational schemes, and over two-thirds of these workers were eligible for benefits equal to more than 15% of their earnings at retirement. This legislation also acquired that entitlements to occupational pensions must not expire after leaving a firm, and that occupational pensions must not be reduced as

8424-631: The previous week, in which he spoke apologetically about the suffering Germany inflicted on various nations during World War II ; but made no mention of the Jews. On his flight home from Riyadh , Schmidt told his advisers that war guilt could not continue to affect Germany's foreign relations. Schmidt was the first world leader to call upon newly elected French president François Mitterrand , who visited Bonn in July 1981. The two found themselves in "complete agreement" on foreign policy matters and relations with

8528-526: The right of self-determination for the German people. One must then recognize the moral claim of the Palestinian people to the right of self-determination." On 3 May, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin denounced Schmidt as "unprincipled, avaricious, heartless, and lacking in human feeling", and stated that he had "willingly served in the German armies that murdered millions." Begin was also upset over remarks that Schmidt had made on West German television

8632-427: The same time the family education and advisory services were assigned the task of educating these parents. In terms of workplace rights, a "parity" system was introduced (although in a weakened form) on the supervisory boards of all companies employing over 2,000 workers, a reform which West German trade unions had long fought for. This law improved employee representation on the supervisory boards of companies outside

8736-588: The steel and coal industries. The main provision of this new piece of legislation was that in the 650 major companies that accounted for 70% of West Germany's output, employee representation on the supervisory boards rose from one-third to one-half. In 1976, the Young Persons (Protection of Employment) Act was passed, which forbade the employment of children and young persons required to attend full-time education, with minor exceptions. The social protection of civil servants and judges ( Bund and Länder )

8840-585: The switch by his coalition allies, the Free Democratic Party . He retired from Parliament in 1986, after clashing with the SPD's left-wing, which opposed him on defence and economic issues. In 1986, he was a leading proponent of European monetary union and a European Central Bank . Helmut Schmidt was the elder of two sons to Ludovica Koch (10 November 1890 – 29 November 1968) and Gustav Ludwig Schmidt (18 April 1888 – 26 March 1981) in Barmbek ,

8944-422: The system of higher education, thus exceeding their traditional tasks of research and lecturing. In 1977, an "investment programme for the future" was decided upon by the Schmidt Administration, which provided DM 16 thousand million for the improvement of the transport system, an efficient and ecological energy supply, provisions for water supply, vocational training, and the safeguarding of the environment. Under

9048-441: The unemployed, who (from 1977 onwards) were technically insured free of charge under the old-age pension and invalidity scheme. Previously, there had only existed partial and restricted coverage for the unemployed. The Law to Improve Occupational Old Age Pensions (1974) extended coverage of occupational pensions, whilst also "co-ordinating them more closely with state pensions and setting minimum standards as regards benefit levels and

9152-463: The up-and-coming Hamburg merchants were to be met with the construction of large Kontorhouses, although a partial use as living space was also initially envisaged. The Burchardplatz forms the centre of the complex planned by Schumacher. The buildings were mainly made of reinforced concrete skeleton construction. The new buildings were to be individually designed. Characteristic features are clinker brick facades and copper roofs . In order to make

9256-526: The war, graduating in economics and political science in 1949. Schmidt had planned to study without interruption. Therefore, he volunteered at age 18 for military service in 1937. He began serving with an anti-aircraft battery of Luftwaffe at Vegesack near Bremen . In World War II , after brief service on the Eastern Front during the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 (including

9360-655: Was a senior figure heading up the Behörde für Wirtschaft und Verkehr (the Hamburg State Ministry for Economy and Transport). He was elected to the Bundestag in 1953, and in 1957 he became a member of the SPD parliamentary party executive. A vocal critic of conservative government policy, his outspoken rhetoric in parliament earned him the nickname Schmidt-Schnauze ("Schmidt the Lip"). In 1958, he joined

9464-465: Was also made to provide better education for socially disadvantaged children by supporting pilot schemes and research projects. Public funds had been allocated from 1979 onwards to a pilot scheme entitled 'Aid to children in need' under which children's communities were set up in Berlin and Gütersloh to protect and care for children who had been or were at risk of being ill-treated by their parents, while at

9568-605: Was an attractive and influential position that could be held for several years. The clerks increased the kontor's professionalisation. In Novgorod a priest performed secretarial duties. He was appointed alternately by one of two Hanseatic cities. The kontors in London and Bruges were reformed into Drittel (thirds) in the 14th century, where the trader community was divided into three thirds based on geographic origin for administrative representation and finances. The thirds were organised differently in London and Bruges. In

9672-447: Was built between 1927 and 1943 according to designs by architects Hans and Oskar Gerson and Fritz Höger. The building enclosing three inner courtyards was Hamburg's largest office complex at the time. The Sprinkenhof was one of the buildings whose design originally included apartments, but which were ultimately not realized. The decorative elements on the facade were designed by Ludwig Kunstmann. Between 1924 and 1926 an office building for

9776-423: Was built in 1921/22 for the trading company Miramar. The design came from the architect Max Bach. In addition to hints of clinker brick expressionism, one of the most outstanding stylistic elements is the rounded corner of the house. Also well known are the sculptures by Richard Kuöhl in the entrance area, which represent the most important professional branches of the flourishing Hamburg economy. The Sprinkenhof

9880-548: Was carried out, together with a reform of marriage law, which eliminated "moral guilt" as a criterion for alimony payment obligations. The First Marriage Reform Law of 1976 stated that pension entitlements acquired during marriage must be shared with the economically weaker spouse following divorce. In 1977, a law was introduced which enabled married women to enter employment without the permission of their husbands, while prison reforms guaranteed inmates access to courts for any violations of their rights, limited sentences in all but

9984-480: Was designed by the architect Fritz Höger and built between 1922 and 1924. It owes its name to its owner, the shipowner Henry B. Sloman , who owed his fortune to trade with Chile - saltpeter . The building is considered the main work of the architect and one of the most important buildings of clinker brick expressionism. The Miramar-House , the first completed building of the Kontorhaus District,

10088-794: Was disgusted by Judge Roland Freisler 's conduct. Toward the end of the war, from December 1944 onwards, he served as an Oberleutnant in the Flak artillery on the Western Front during the Battle of the Bulge and the Ardennes Offensive . He was captured by the British in April 1945 on Lüneburg Heath , and was a prisoner of war until August of that year in Belgium . In 1958 Schmidt

10192-424: Was introduced in 1977, while a constitutional reform of 1981 increased federal powers in health and education. In July 1974, special benefits were introduced to compensate for wages not paid as a result of bankruptcy for a maximum of up to three months. Increases in income-limits for housing allowances were carried out, together with housing allowance rates, while major improvements were made in welfare provision for

10296-558: Was passed into law, which aimed to safeguard consumers from physical harm. The Students' Sickness Insurance Law (1975) extended compulsory coverage to students (medical benefits only), while the Artists' Social Insurance Law (1981) introduced compulsory insurance for artists below a certain income-limit. The Detergents Law (1975) and the Effluency Levies Act (1978) were passed to encourage environmental protection. In 1975,

10400-615: Was promoted to Hauptmann of the Bundeswehr reserve. Schmidt joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1946, and from 1947 to 1948 was the leader of the Socialist German Student League , the student organisation of the SPD. Upon graduating from the University of Hamburg , where he read economics, he worked for the government of the city-state of Hamburg, working in the department of Economic Policy. Beginning in 1952, under Karl Schiller , he

10504-623: Was re-elected to the Bundestag . In 1967, after the formation of the Grand Coalition between the SPD and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), he became chairman of the Social Democratic parliamentary party, a post he held until the elections of 1969. In 1968, he was elected deputy party chairman, a post that he held until 1983. Unlike Willy Brandt and Gerhard Schröder , he never became chairman of

10608-587: Was security. The Peterhof in Novgorod was founded first, in the early 13th century, the kontor of Bruges and Bryggen in Bergen were founded last. They were subordinated to the decisions of the Hansetag (Hanseatic diet) in the mid 14th century. In addition to the kontore , there were less important trading posts. The vitten at the Scanian herring fairs were not as important as the kontors but more significant than

10712-430: Was standardised and improved by a law of August 1974. Under a law of May 1976, victims of acts of violence and their survivors would in future have the right to compensation in respect of the physical and economic consequences in the same manner as protection for war victims. In 1977, DM 8 million was made available by the federal government to welfare bodies to build and modernise holiday homes for families. That same year,

10816-419: Was to reduce the high proportion of unemployed persons lacking training and increase the chances of this group to obtain employment. A wide range of social liberal reforms were also carried out during Schmidt's time in office. A marriage and divorce law of 1976 instituted the principle of maintenance obligations of each economically stronger partner, That same year, a reform of naming for partners after marriage

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