Karl Arnold (March 21, 1901 – June 29, 1958) was a German politician. He was acting president of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949, the first person to hold that office. March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (81st in leap years). ... 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

Youth and early political activities

Arnold was born in Herrlishöfen in Württemberg. He was trained as shoemaker and later (1920/21) studied at the Soziale Hochschule Leohaus, Munich. Württemberg (often spelled Wurttemberg in English) refers to an area and a former state in Swabia, a region in south-western Germany. ... For the 2005 Steven Spielberg film, see Munich (film). ...

From 1920 onwards, Arnold worked as functionary of the movement of Christian workers. In 1924, he became secretary of the Christian workers union for the Düsseldorf region. He was elected in the town council of Düsseldorf for the Centre Party in 1929. 1924 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. ... The German Centre Party (Deutsche Zentrumspartei or merely Zentrum), often called the Catholic Centre Party, was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich and the Weimar Republic. ... 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

In 1928, he married Liesel Joeres.

Nazi era

In 1933, Arnold was co-owner of a sanitary installation shop in Düsseldorf. The Nazi Gestapo observed and hunted him in the following years because of his political activities. In 1944, he was brought to jail by the Gestapo. 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Deaths Head emblem, often used as the insignia of the Gestapo The Gestapo â–¶(?) (acronym of Geheime Staatspolizei; secret state police) was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

German reconstruction after World War II

After World War II, Arnold became politically active again. In 1945, he was co-founder of the local Christian-Democratic Party in Düsseldorf, which became part of the CDU later in 1945. Also in 1945, the Düsseldorf chapter of the united workers union was founded, presided by Arnold. On January 29, 1946, Arnold was named mayor of Düsseldorf and later elected in the first free elections (October 26, 1946). World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article needs cleanup. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

In December, 1946, Arnold became deputy minister president of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. From 1947 to 1950, he was the minister president with a coalition of CDU, Centre Party, SPD and (shortly) the communist party. North Rhine-Westphalia (German: Nordrhein-Westfalen, short: NRW) is the largest in population (though only fourth in area) among Germanys 16 federal states. ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

On September 7, 1949 he was elected as the first president of the federal Bundesrat of Germany, becoming acting President of Germany until Theodor Heuss was elected five days later. September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... The Bundesrat (federal council) is the representation of the 16 Federal States (Länder) of Germany at the federal level. ... Theodor Heuss (January 31, 1884 - December 12, 1963) was a German politician. ...

From 1950 to 1956, Arnold was elected minister president for North Rhine-Westphalia twice again, governing with the help of conservative parties and the Free Democrats. Important acts of his government were the foundation of the North Rhine-Westphalian broadcasting system (today: Westdeutscher Rundfunk) and the German system of workers union influence in steel and coal industries. 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Westdeutsche Rundfunk (WDR) is a public broadcaster in the German Bundesland North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office is in Köln. ...

On February 20, 1956 FDP switched coalition affiliation to the SPD, ending the Arnold government in North Rhine-Westphalia. Arnold became a leading member of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia and in Germany. February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1957, he was elected in the German Bundestag (with a 72 % majority in his election district). He was member of the Bundestag until June 29, 1958, when he died of heart disfunction. 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External link

• Biography of Arnold at the German Historic Museum, German