Erwin Pohl

Erwin Pohl
Pohl in 1982
7th President of Besmenia
In office 5 April 1973 – 5 April 1985
Prime Minister	Robert Gleitzmann Martin Beiter
Preceded by	Thomas Albrecht
Succeeded by	Otto Schulz
Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 7 October 1964 – 21 February 1972
Prime Minister	Johannes Schmidt
Preceded by	Dieter Mecke
Succeeded by	Konrad Mann
Federal Minister for Internal Besmenian Relations
In office 1960 – 7 October 1964
Prime Minister	Günther Brecht Wolfgang Butz
Preceded by	Wolfgang Heikmann
Succeeded by	Friedrich Schulz
Member of the Federal Chamber
In office 1952–1972
Personal details
Born	Erwin Manfred Pohl 28 March 1912 Halsholm, Jakartaburg, Kingdom of Besmenia
Died	2 February 1992 (aged 79) Halsholm, Jakartaburg, Besmenia
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	Besmenian People's Party (1940-1969)
Spouse	Aase Pohl (m. 1938)
Children	2

Erwin Manfred Pohl (28 March 1912 - 2 February 1992) was a Besmenian politician and statesman, who served as the 7th President of Besmenia between 1973 and 1985. Before that, Pohl served as foreign minister from 1964 to 1972 and between 1960 and 1964 as federal minister for internal Besmenian relations.

Pohl is today considered the most popular of Besmenia's presidents. In his later years after his presidency, Pohl gained a positive reputation as an elder statesman across party lines in Besmenia.

Early life and education

Erwin Pohl was born on March 28, 1911 in Halsholm in Jakartaburg in the Kingdom of Besmenia. His father Friedrich Pohl (1879-1956) was a clerk in companies in the local textile industry. His mother Ingrid Grimm (1883-1964) was a housewife. In September 1915, Pohl's younger sister Lilli was born, who died only three months after birth.

Life in Tine (1923-1939)

Following the seizure of power by the Besmenian National Union in November 1923, the Pohl family left West Besmenia in December 1923 and settled down for Tinegard, Tine.

Presidential campaigns

1979 presidential campaign

Pohl officially announced on October 15, 1978 that he wanted to run for a second term. Due to his high popularity, his re-election in 1979 was a triumph: Pohl was re-elected with the support of the SDU and FBBP with a record result of 74.8% of the valid votes cast against Werner Kaltmann, who was supported by the BVP, and the BELP-candidate Udo Kühbacher.

Presidensy (1973-1985)

Pohl during his opening speech for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games.

Pohl was sworn in by the Federal Assembly on April 5, 1973.

Personal life

Pohl married the Tinegardian author and teacher Aase Evensen in February 1938. From the marriage came the daughter Katherina Pohl (1942-2021) and the son Georg Pohl (1947-).

Relationship with Robert Gleitzmann

The relationship between Pohl and Robert Gleitzmann had been strained since the late 1960s. Pohl has criticized Gleitzmann since he became BVP Chairman in 1967 for his right-wing orientation and for the fact that the BVP became more right-wing under him. The conflict between the two led to Pohl leaving the BVP in 1970. Pohl was an opponent of the BVP-BRP government under Gleitzmann as Prime Minister, Pohl himself replied to the government participation of the BRP that this government could harm Besmenia internationally. According to reports, after the 1976 election Pohl begged Gleitzmann to form a coalition government with either the FBBP or the SDU, while Gleitzmann, on the contrary, continued to work with the BRP. Pohl only reluctantly accepted the swearing-in of the Second Gleitzmann cabinet. Since the late 1970s at the latest, the relationship between the two high-ranking politicians has been considered very strained.