Martin Beiter
Martin Beiter | |
|---|---|
 Beiter in October 1990 | |
| 10th Premier of Besmenia | |
| In office 13 March 1980 – 5 May 1991 | |
| President | Erwin Pohl Otto Schulz |
| Vice Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Robert Gleitzmann |
| Succeeded by | Kurt Stöger |
| Leader of the Free Besmenian Citizen's Party | |
| In office 28 July 1979 – 5 May 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Jürgen Rothmann |
| Succeeded by | Kurt Stöger |
| Leader of the Free Besmenian Citizen's Party in the Federal Chamber | |
| In office 22 March 1978 – 1 September 1980 | |
| Preceded by | Roland Wasste |
| Succeeded by | Heinz Preiung |
| Member of the Federal Chamber | |
| In office 1972 – 5 May 1991 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Martin Beiter 10 January 1945 Behringen, Metakumburg, East Besmenia |
| Died | 5 May 1991 (aged 46) Melmingen, Maurenmark, Besmenia |
| Manner of death | Assassination |
| Political party | Free Besmenian Citizen's Party |
| Spouse | Astrid Schmid (m. 1976) |
| Children | 2 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  East Besmenia |
| Branch/service |  Besmenian Federal Army |
| Years of service | February 1965 - October 1965 |
| Unit | Besmenian Army |
Martin Beiter (10 January 1945 - 5 May 1991) was a Besmenian politician who served as Premier of Besmenia from 1980 until his assassination in 1991. He also was party chairman of the Free Besmenian Citizen's Party from 1980 to his death.
His 11-year premiership, in a FBBP-SDU governing coalition, known today as the Beiter era, was marked by numerous social-liberal reforms in economics and finance, in criminal and family law, as well as in education and a modernization of Besmenian society. Also under Beiter, Besmenia became a member of the Coalition of Crown Albatross in 1982, and was a co-founder of the Alliance of Nortuan States in 1989. During his tenure Beiter was one of the most important political figures of Besmenia as well as in international liberal communities. When Beiter was sworn in in 1980, at 35 he was one of the youngest state leaders on Iearth.
Beiter was assassinated on May 5th, 1991 in an theatre after a election campaign for the 1991 Maurenmark state election in Melmingen. His death caused mourning among the population.
Early Life and education
Martin Beiter was born on January 10, 1945 as the son of the entrepreneur Leopold Beiter (1904-1989) and the housewife Greta Helbeing (1907-1994) in the capital of Metakumburg Behringen. After graduating from high school in 1965, he did his military service. From 1966 he studied Besmenian, history and sports at the University of Behringen and completed his studies in 1969 with the first and in 1971 with the second state examination for teaching at primary and secondary schools. From 1969 he worked as a teacher in Behringen.
Political career
Member of the Federal Chamber
Beiter won a seat for the 14th Besmenian Federal Chamber on the Metakumburgian FBBP's state list in the 1972 Besmenian federal election. During his time as a member of parliament, he was particularly known as an excellent speaker and opponent of the blue-orange coalition led by Robert Gleitzmann. He found high recognition among senior FBBP politicians such as Jürgen Rothmann (FBBP party leader, 1968-1980) and Otto Schulz (Vice President of the Federal Chamber, 1976-1980). After the resignation of the chairman of the FBBP parliamentary group in the Federal Chamber Roland Wasste, Beiter was appointed his successor.
FBBP chairman and candidate in the 1980 election
After Jürgen Rothmann announced that he would resign from the FBBP chairmanship and not run as candidate for prime minister for the 1980 election, on May 15, 1979, during a press conference, Beiter announced that he would be for the office of FBBP federal chairman to apply. He competed against Theoberg Braun and Georg Wallmann. The election took place at the FBBP convention on July 28, 1979. With around 502 out of a total of 970 votes, Beiter achieved an absolute majority and was thus elected as the new party chairman and prime minister candidate of the FBBP.
The 1980 election campaign was dominated by the feud between Beiter and Gleitzmann. Beiter criticized Gleitzmann's resistance to Besmenian's accession to the Coalition of Crown Albatross as well as his partly right-wing populist views, while Gleitzmann criticized Beiter for being too young. The 1980 election campaign is general considered to be one of the wildest in the Federal Republic history.
In a television debate on January 20, 1980, after a brief conflict, Beiter said to Gleitzmann: "You, my dear Mr. Gleitzmann, you are an right-wing populist wannabe dictator! You are engaging in business with a party that actually shows some tendency to Ochsenbeinism and that after the West Besmenians were happy to have been freed from Ochsenbeinism in 1966. Aren't you ashamed of that?"
Premier of Besmenia (1980-1991)
The FBBP advertised in the 1980 election campaign with the slogan "Keine Blau-orange Bundesregierung!" (English: No blue-orange federal government!). In the 1980 federal election, the FBBP under Beiter became the strongest party for the first time in its history with 31.2% of the vote. The planned coalition with the SDU initially proved to be difficult because the FBBP and SDU together did not have a majority in the Federal Chamber (it lacked one seat for a majority). After lengthy exploratory talks between the parties, the FBBP and SDU concluded a coalition agreement to form a minority government. On March 13, 1980, Beiter was sworn in as the 9th Federal Prime Minister by Federal President Erwin Pohl.
In the September 1981 early elections, the FBBP and SDU won the majority of votes and seats. The joint majority of the two parties was also achieved in the 1985 and 1989 elections.
Domestic policy
Foreign policy
Assassination and state funeral
At an election campaign event on May 5, 1991 for the 1991 Maurenmark state election, Beiter gave a speech in support of the then incumbent Governor of Maurenmark Helmut Borner in front of an audience of 232 people in a theatre. When Beiter left the theatre hall surrounded by numerous people. The perpetrator recognized Beiter in the crowd and, according to eyewitness reports, ran through the crowd to be very close to Martin Beiter. The attack took place around 8:34 p.m. The attacker aimed from the back and fired two shots at Beiter from 60 centimeters away with a revolver. Beiter was hit in the head. His bodyguard Leon Dänkmann was injured by a third shot in the hand while attempting to knock the gun out of the hand of the perpetrator. After a short while, paramedics reached the theatre and lifted Beiter off the floor. After the gunshots, Beiter spoke only in a whisper and mostly incomprehensible before he lost consciousness in the ambulance to the Melmingen General Hospital. At the Melmingen General Hospital, the doctors arranged for an operation to remove the two cartridges from his skull. This operation did not take place, however, as Beiter was probably already brain dead when he arrived at the Melmingen General Hospital. At 9:43 p.m. Martin Beiter was officially declared dead.
The assassin was arrested by the police shortly after the attack and was identified as Michael Lammer.
The state funeral took place on May 28, 1991 in Laitstadt with around 1000 guests, including the Zamastanian President Elijah Daniels.
Political position
Beiter was considered a staunch left-wing liberalist. He united liberal positions and also positions of the center-left. During his membership in the FBBP he belonged to the left-wing liberal wing.
Personal life
Beiter married the writer Astrid Schmid in 1976. Both had known each other since 1973. The couple had a boy, Christoph Beiter (born 12 December 1978), and a daughter, Franziska Beiter (born 10 October 1983).
The couple had owned a weekend house in the Summingian forest since 1977, where the couple often spent their holidays and often invited guests.
Beiter was very interested in art. He had some of his favorite paintings hung in his office in the Federal House.
Legacy
Today Martin Beiter is considered as one of the most influential Prime Ministers of Besmenia, alongside with Heinz Dimmler and Johannes Schmidt. In 2001, Martin Beiter was identified as the most popular politician in recent Besmenian history in a poll by an opinion research institute.
Personality and media portrayals
Satirical representation
Beiter was often the subject of satire and caricature. Here recurring remarks were his young age, his aversion to the BVP and BRP and his mustache, which is often referred to as Porn bar (Pornobalken).
Honors
Besmenian honors
- Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Besmenia
(posthumously)
Foreign honors
Honorary citizen
1981: Behringen
1987: Laitstadt
1990: State of Metakumburg
Namesakes
- Various roads, public facilities and schools
- Martin Beiter Tower in Laitstadt
- Martin Beiter Barracks in Behringen