Hans Tietmeyer
Hans Tietmeyer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 August 1931 Metelen, Westphalia, Germany |
| Died | 27 December 2016 (aged 85) |
| Occupation | Economist |
| Years active | 1962–2016 |
| Known for | President of the Deutsche Bundesbank (1993–1999) |
Hans Tietmeyer (18 August 1931 – 27 December 2016) was a distinguished German economist renowned for his expertise in international finance. He held the position of president at the Deutsche Bundesbank from 1993 until 1999 and continued to play a significant role in European Union financial affairs thereafter.
Early life
Tietmeyer was born in Metelen, Westphalia, as the second child among eleven siblings in a Roman Catholic household. His academic journey began with theology, but he later transitioned to economics, studying at the University of Münster, University of Bonn, and University of Cologne. His economic perspective was shaped by the teachings of Alfred Müller-Armack and Ludwig Erhard, leading him to specialize in international banking and economic policy.
Career
Starting in 1962, Tietmeyer worked at the Federal Ministry of Economics. As a trusted advisor to economics minister Otto Graf Lambsdorff, he composed a pivotal report that played a role in the dissolution of Chancellor Helmut Schmidt's coalition government.
In 1982, during Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s administration, Tietmeyer was appointed State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, where he managed international monetary affairs, financial policy, EU relations, and preparations for global economic summits such as the (World Economic Summits).
In 1988, Tietmeyer survived an assassination attempt carried out by the far-left extremist group Red Army Faction (RAF).
He joined the board of the Deutsche Bundesbank in 1990, focusing on international monetary matters. Subsequently, he served as Vice President before assuming the presidency in 1993. In addition, he provided counsel to Chancellor Kohl on negotiations regarding economic and monetary union with East Germany ahead of reunification.
In 1997, Tietmeyer opposed government proposals to revalue Germany’s gold reserves as a measure to alleviate budget deficits.
During his tenure as Bundesbank President, the introduction of the Euro as the unified currency of the EU took place. He oversaw the institution’s integration into the European System of Central Banks starting January 1999. Tietmeyer cautioned that adopting the Euro would necessitate stringent economic reforms for countries with fiscal imbalances—a prediction later confirmed by sovereign debt crises in nations such as Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece.
He authored more than 100 scholarly articles on economics, earned numerous accolades, and was inducted into the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
Later career
Between January and March 2000, alongside former President Roman Herzog and federal judge Paul Kirchhof, Tietmeyer co-chaired an independent panel investigating the CDU donations scandal. He also served as president of the EBS University of Business and Law from 2000 through 2009.
From 2003 until 2010, he held the position of vice-chairman on the board of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). Additional appointments included:
- Supervisory board member at Hauck & Aufhäuser since 2001
- Trustee at donum vitae beginning in 2001
- Member of the supervisory board at Depfa Bank from 2002 to 2008
- Trustee roles at both the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt and the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU)
- Board member for German Doctors for Developing Countries between 2008 and 2016
- Membership in the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Personal life
Tietmeyer was married to Marie-Luise Flossdorf, and the couple had two children together. Following her passing in 1978, he entered into marriage with Marie-Therese Kalff.