Thomas Schäfer (politician)
Thomas Schäfer | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 22, 1966 Hemer, Germany |
| Died | March 28, 2020 (aged 54) |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, Politician |
| Years active | 1980–2020 |
| Known for | Minister of Finance for Hesse (2010–2020) |
Thomas Schäfer (; 22 February 1966 – 28 March 2020) was a German attorney and member of the CDU. He held the position of Minister of Finance for Hesse from 2010 until 2020.
Early life and education
Schäfer was born in Hemer and grew up in Biedenkopf. After completing his Abitur in 1985, he undertook banking training at . He pursued legal studies at the University of Marburg, earning his degree in 1997. Between 1995 and 1998, he lectured on private and public law at the in Marburg. Subsequently, from 1998, he practiced law at Commerzbank in Frankfurt am Main. In 1999, he obtained a doctorate under the supervision of Werner Frotscher.
Political career
Joining the CDU/CSU youth wing Junge Union in 1980, Schäfer served on its board from 1985 to 1999. Following the 1999 Hessian state elections, he managed the office of Justice Minister Christean Wagner and from 2002 that of Minister President Roland Koch. Between November 2005 and 2009, he was secretary of state for Minister Jürgen Banzer, responsible for labour, family, and health affairs. During the financial crisis of 2008, Schäfer coordinated efforts among states with Opel manufacturing plants to support the company’s rescue. In February 2009, he assumed the role of secretary of state under Finance Minister Karlheinz Weimar.
In August 2010, Schäfer was appointed as Hesse's Minister of Finance by Minister President Volker Bouffier. He became a member of the Hessischer Landtag in 2014 and secured direct re-election in 2018. Widely regarded as a potential successor to Bouffier, Schäfer was instrumental in shaping Hesse’s fiscal strategy throughout his service.
On 27 March 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Schäfer together with Economy Minister Tarek Al-Wazir unveiled financial support packages targeting freelancers and small enterprises, stressing that "The fight against the Corona crisis will not fail because of money" ("").
Death
On 28 March 2020, Schäfer’s body was discovered near the Cologne–Frankfurt high-speed railway close to Hochheim am Main. Authorities suspected suicide. His passing came as a shock since he had recently described his duties as "a pleasure and an honour." Known for his cheerful nature, Schäfer had shown noticeable weight loss over time. Minister-President Bouffier noted that Schäfer was deeply troubled by the challenge of addressing the economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. He is survived by his spouse and two children. Michael Boddenberg succeeded him as Hesse’s finance minister.
External links
- Official website
- Dr. Thomas Schäfer Landtag Hessen
- Bouffier krempelt Kochs Kabinett um (in German) Der Spiegel, 30 August 2010
- 1966 births
- 2020 deaths
- Ministers of finance of Hesse
- Ministers of the Hesse State Government
- Members of the Landtag of Hesse
- People from Marburg-Biedenkopf
- Christian Democratic Union of Germany politicians
- German bankers
- 20th-century German lawyers
- University of Marburg alumni
- 21st-century German politicians
- Suicides by train
- Suicides in Germany
- 2020 suicides