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Hermann Rappe
Hermann Rappe
Hermann Rappe
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Hermann Rappe (20 September 1929 – 30 January 2022) was a German politician and trade unionist who served in the Bundestag from 1972 to 1998. He died on 30 January 2022, at the age of 92.[1]

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Hermann Rappe

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''Hermann Rappe'' is a German politician and trade unionist known for his long service as a member of the Bundestag for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) from 1972 to 1998 and for his leadership as chairman of the IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik, the trade union for chemical, paper, and ceramics workers. Born on 20 September 1929 in Hannoversch Münden, Lower Saxony, Rappe rose through the ranks of the labor movement in post-war West Germany, becoming a prominent advocate for workers' rights in the chemical and related industries. He represented the Hildesheim constituency in parliament across multiple legislative periods, contributing to social and economic policy discussions during a transformative era in German history. His dual roles in politics and union leadership made him a significant figure in linking organized labor with the SPD's agenda. Rappe was honored for his contributions with distinctions including honorary citizenship of Sarstedt and honorary senator status at Hannover Medical School, reflecting his regional impact and commitment to public service. He passed away on 30 January 2022 at the age of 92.

Early Life and Education

Birth and Family Background

Hermann Rappe was born on September 20, 1929, in Hannoversch Münden, a town then situated in the Province of Hanover within Prussia and now part of the state of Lower Saxony in Germany. He was the son of a carpenter (Schreiner). In 1947, Rappe joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and became active in the Sozialistische Jugend – Die Falken (Socialist Youth). This working-class family background in the small town of Hannoversch Münden provided the early personal context for Rappe's upbringing.

Education and Early Career

Hermann Rappe attended Volksschule (primary school) and Realschule (secondary school), where he earned the mittlere Reife, the intermediate school leaving certificate. He then completed a commercial apprenticeship (kaufmännische Lehre) at the local Konsumgenossenschaft (consumer cooperative) in Hannoversch Münden, attending the associated kaufmännische Berufsschule (vocational business school) and passing the Kaufmannsgehilfenprüfung, the commercial clerk examination. After finishing his apprenticeship, Rappe was taken on by the Konsumgenossenschaft and worked there as a kaufmännischer Angestellter (commercial employee) from 1950 to 1952. During this period, he became involved in workplace representation, serving first as a youth representative (Jugendvertreter) and later as chairman of the works council (Betriebsratsvorsitzender) at the cooperative. In 1953, he transitioned to full-time trade union work as a youth secretary (Jugendsekretär) with the IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik.

Trade Union Career

Entry into Trade Unions

Hermann Rappe's entry into trade unions began during his commercial apprenticeship at the local Konsumgenossenschaft in Hannoversch Münden, where he was hired as a commercial employee from 1950 to 1952. As a young worker, he quickly became active in workplace representation, serving first as youth representative (Jugendvertreter) and later as chairman of the works council (Betriebsratsvorsitzender) at the cooperative. This early engagement in labor representation was shaped by his working-class background as the son of a carpenter and his postwar involvement in the Socialist Youth (Sozialistische Jugend – Die Falken), where he took on various responsibilities immediately after the war. In 1947, he joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), further aligning his activities with organized labor and political movements. In 1953, Rappe transitioned to full-time trade union work when he joined the Industriegewerkschaft Chemie-Papier-Keramik (IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik), initially serving as youth secretary (Jugendsekretär) from 1953 to 1955. His career advanced steadily through the union ranks in a classic progression, as he was appointed district secretary (Bezirkssekretär) in the Lower Saxony district leadership in Hanover from 1955 to 1964, where he was responsible for organization, training, and education. During this period, he also served on the board of Arbeit und Leben in Lower Saxony. From 1964 to 1966, he worked as a secretary in the main department for organization at the union's national executive board (Hauptvorstand) in Hanover. In 1966, delegates elected Rappe to the managing federal executive board (geschäftsführender Hauptvorstand) of IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik at the union's congress, marking his entry into national leadership. He remained a member of the executive board from 1966 to 1978. In 1978, he was elected deputy chairman (stellvertretender Vorsitzender) of the union, a position he held until 1982. This trajectory reflected a typical ascent in postwar German trade unionism, rooted in grassroots workplace activism and focused on youth, education, and organizational development within the chemical, paper, and ceramics sector.

Leadership as Chairman of IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik

Hermann Rappe served as Erster Vorsitzender of IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik from 1982 to 1995, during which he decisively shaped the union's policies and overall profile. Under his leadership, the union established itself as a strong formative force within the social market economy, achieving notable success in advancing improved working and living conditions for members. Rappe combined a down-to-earth approach and close connection to members with strategic foresight and firm political convictions rooted in social democracy, fostering trust in the union's capabilities and inspiring enthusiasm for the principle of solidarity. Following German reunification, Rappe focused on rebuilding the union's structures in East Germany and securing a sustainable core for the chemical industry in the new federal states, thereby creating future-oriented employment opportunities. As the only trade union representative initially on the supervisory board of the Treuhandanstalt, he advocated for privatization while resisting wholesale closures of eastern sites, despite strong opposition from major West German chemical companies that favored shutting down capacity. Through persistent efforts, including personal political interventions, he helped attract foreign investors to preserve key facilities, such as bringing in Dow Chemical for the Buna site after Chancellor Kohl's commitment to retain jobs and facilitating agreements for the Leuna refinery. Rappe later described these actions to safeguard eastern chemical jobs as his primary achievement during his tenure. His strategic vision also laid essential groundwork for the 1997 merger of IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik with IG Bergbau und Energie and the Gewerkschaft Leder to form the IGBCE, in which he is regarded as one of the key architects. In justifying early merger discussions in 1991, Rappe emphasized shared commitments to the social market economy among the partner unions. His concurrent service in the Bundestag allowed him to align union priorities with broader political developments.

Political Career

Involvement with the SPD

Hermann Rappe joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1947, the same year he also entered the Socialist Youth of Germany – Falcons. This early affiliation marked the beginning of his lifelong commitment to the party, which he maintained for over seven decades as a dedicated social democrat and trade union representative. In recognition of his enduring membership, the SPD honored Rappe in 2017 for 70 years of active participation in the party. During the early 1990s, he served as chairman of the SPD local association (Ortsverein) in Grasdorf-Luttrum, where he contributed to grassroots party organization and activities. As a conservative social democrat within the party, Rappe used his influence to advocate for policies supporting industrial workers, particularly in the chemical sector, including public efforts in the late 1980s to rally SPD support for maintaining competitiveness in the industry. His parallel leadership in the IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik reinforced his role as a bridge between trade unions and the SPD.

Service in the Bundestag

Hermann Rappe served as a member of the German Bundestag from 1972 to 1998, representing the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He was directly elected in the Hildesheim constituency in Lower Saxony throughout his tenure. During his parliamentary service, Rappe focused on labor and social policy matters. In the 13th electoral period (1994–1998), he served as a deputy member of the Committee on Economic Affairs. His Bundestag activity occurred concurrently with his role as chairman of the trade union IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik.

Media and Public Appearances

Television Appearances as Self

Hermann Rappe made only limited television appearances as himself, consistent with his primary roles as a trade union leader and politician rather than as a media personality. He appeared as a guest on the talk show series 5 nach 10 in 1983. He also appeared as a guest on NDR Talk Show in the episode broadcast on April 25, 1986, alongside other guests including Carl-W. Röhrig and Wolf Schneider as host. These non-acting appearances were his only documented credits on television.

Later Life, Honors, and Death

Retirement and Honorary Roles

Hermann Rappe retired from his leadership role as the first chairman of the IG Chemie-Papier-Keramik at the end of 1995 after holding the position since 1982. He also concluded his tenure as a member of the German Bundestag for the SPD in 1998, having served continuously since 1972. In recognition of his longstanding contributions to public and non-profit service, Rappe held several honorary titles. He was awarded the dignity of Ehrensenator of the Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) in May 1985, following the Senate's decision in February 1985, and became one of the first five individuals to receive this honor in the institution's history. The MHH cited his special achievements in public and charitable activities as the basis for the award. Additionally, he was named Ehrensenator of the University of Hannover. Rappe also received multiple honorary doctorates (Dr. h.c.).

Death and Legacy

Hermann Rappe died on January 30, 2022, in Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany, at the age of 92. His passing prompted tributes from the IG BCE and SPD, acknowledging his transformative role in shaping modern German trade unionism through decades of leadership and advocacy for chemical industry workers. Rappe's legacy endures in the strengthened social partnership model between labor, industry, and government that he helped institutionalize, as well as his contributions to progressive labor policies during the postwar economic miracle and beyond. He is remembered as one of the most influential union leaders of his generation in Germany, whose work bridged industrial interests with social democratic principles.

References

  1. https://www.spdfraktion.de/abgeordnete/rappe-hildesheim
  2. https://imsvintagephotos.com/products/hermann-rappe-vintage-photograph-2252962
  3. https://www.gewerkschaftsgeschichte.de/biografien-55540-hermann-rappe-1929-2022.htm
  4. http://www.zeitzeugen.fes.de/hermann-rappe?vid=0_4vmmig5y
  5. https://www.leineblitz.de/2022/01/30/trauer-um-hermann-rappe/
  6. https://www.mhh.de/en/presse/mhh-insight/news-detailed-view/die-mhh-trauert-um-ehrensenator
  7. https://igbce.de/igbce/igbce-trauert-um-hermann-rappe-202330
  8. https://webarchiv.bundestag.de/archive/2005/0825/mdb15/mdb13/bio/R/rappehe0.html
  9. https://igbce.de/igbce/presse/medieninformationen/die-igbce-trauert-um-ihren-ehemaligen-vorsitzenden-hermann-rappe-202336
  10. https://www.boeckler.de/de/magazin-mitbestimmung-2744-interview-aposich-bin-den-weg-allein-gegangenapos-10987.htm
  11. https://igbce.de/igbce/aus-drei-wird-eins-207268
  12. https://spd-bezirk-hannover.de/meldungen/zum-tod-von-hermann-rappe-grosser-gewerkschafter-und-sozialdemokrat
  13. https://spd-ub-hildesheim.de/hermann-rappe-70-jahre-mitglied-der-spd-dank-und-stolz
  14. https://spd-holle.de/meldungen/70-jahre-mitglied-der-spd-vielen-dank-hermann-rappe
  15. https://library.fes.de/libalt/journals/swetsfulltext/6859293.pdf
  16. http://webarchiv.bundestag.de/archive/2007/0206/mdb/mdb13/bio/R/rappehe0.html
  17. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10548532/
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10023504/
  19. https://www.vorwaerts.de/parteileben/zum-tod-von-hermann-rappe-grosser-gewerkschafter-und-sozialdemokrat
  20. https://www.mhh.de/presse-news/die-mhh-trauert-um-ehrensenator
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