Günther Beckstein

Beckstein was born in Hersbruck. After graduating from High School at the Willstätter-Gymnasium in Nuremberg in 1962, he studied law at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He holds a Ph.D. from Erlangen-Nürnberg University. In 1975, he wrote his dissertation {{lang|de|Der Gewissenstäter im Strafrecht und Strafprozessrecht}} (The Delinquent of Conscience in Criminal Law and Trial Law) which led to his Ph.D. Between 1971 and 1978, he worked as a lawyer.

Beckstein has been married to Marga Beckstein, a teacher, since 1973. They have three children: Ruth, Frank and Martin. Beckstein and his wife are residents of Nürnberg-Langwasser. He is a Protestant and an active church member,{{cite web|url=http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/abgeordnete/bio/B/becksgu0.html|title=Official Bundestag website|accessdate=10 May 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823132610/http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/abgeordnete/bio/B/becksgu0.html|archive-date=23 August 2009}} who was a member of the synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany from 1993 to 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.ekd.de/guenther-beckstein-75-jahre-mehr-erreicht-als-vorgestellt-40772.htm|title=EKD website, Archive 2018|date=23 November 2018|accessdate=3 May 2020}}

Beckstein started his political career as the district chairman of the Junge Union Nürnberg-Fürth (1973–1978) and then became vice chairman of the CSU district association Nürnberg-Fürth-Schwabach. In 1991, he acceded its chairmanship.

Beckstein became a member of the Bavarian State Parliament, the Landtag, for the CSU in 1974. In 1987 he ran for Oberbürgermeister (Lord Mayor) of his home town Nürnberg, but lost to his opponent Peter Schönlein (SPD).Stadt Nürnberg: [https://www.nuernberg.de/imperia/md/statistik/dokumente/veroeffentlichungen/berichte/wahlberichte/obw1987_ergebnis.pdf Statistic News of Nürnberg: election results of 1987] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204161514/https://www.nuernberg.de/imperia/md/statistik/dokumente/veroeffentlichungen/berichte/wahlberichte/obw1987_ergebnis.pdf |date=4 February 2016 }} In 1988, Beckstein became State Secretary at the Bavarian Ministry of Interior ({{lang|de|Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern}}). In 1993, he became the Interior Minister of Bavaria, succeeding Edmund Stoiber. In 2001, he was elected to the post of Deputy Minister-President of Bavaria.

Beckstein won seat in the Bundestag in the 2005 German federal elections but did not take up this position, preferring to stay in state politics.

After Minister-President Edmund Stoiber had announced on 18 January 2007 to resign from his post in the autumn of 2007, the CSU Landtag fraction came to the arrangement for Beckstein to succeed Stoiber, after a power struggle with Erwin Huber,{{cite news |title=Günther Beckstein Sworn in as new Bavarian Premier |url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2813376,00.html |work=Deutsche Welle |date=9 October 2007 |accessdate=10 May 2008 }} selecting him with a vast majority.{{cite news |title=Beckstein nominated for Minister President of Bavaria |url=http://www.lermanet.com/cisar/germany/070800.html |date=1 August 2007 |accessdate=10 May 2008 }} On 9 October, the Bavarian Landtag elected him as the new Minister-President by a majority of 122 of the 178 votes cast.

His rise to the post of Bavarian prime minister was something of a novelty in the state as he is from Franconia—the northern half of Bavaria—and a Protestant. Traditionally, though not exclusively, Bavarian prime ministers have been from Altbayern—the south—and Catholics.

On 1 October 2008, following the Bavarian state elections of 28 September, where his party lost its absolute majority of the seats for the first time in 46 years, Beckstein resigned from his post{{cite web| url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-germany-csu-idUKTRE4903TQ20081001| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127013235/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-germany-csu-idUKTRE4903TQ20081001| url-status=dead| archive-date=27 January 2016|title=Second CSU leader quits, raising risks for Merkel|publisher=Reuters|date=1 October 2008|accessdate=9 July 2011}} but remained in office until a new Minister-President was elected on 27 October.[http://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/656/312570/text/ Beckstein bereut Nähe zu Stoiber] Sueddeutsche Zeitung, published: 2 October 2008, accessed: 3 October 2008[http://www.bayern.de/Guenther-Beckstein-.261.18134/index.htm Die bayerischen Ministerpräsidenten - Dr. Günther Beckstein] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925071014/http://www.bayern.de/Guenther-Beckstein-.261.18134/index.htm |date=25 September 2010 }} Bavarian government website {{in lang|de}} accessed: 28 October 2008

Beckstein was a CSU delegate to the Federal Convention for the purpose of electing the President of Germany in 2017.[https://www.bayern.landtag.de/fileadmin/Internet_Dokumente/Sonstiges_P/20161122_Mitglieder_Bundesversammlung.pdf Mitglieder bzw. Ersatzmitglieder der 16. Bundesversammlung] Landtag of Bavaria, press release of 22 November 2016.

• Beckstein is an outspoken critic of the Church of Scientology.[http://www.lermanet.com/cisar/germany/070800.html Beckstein warns of Scientology's tutoring offensive] Constitutional Protection Report for Bavaria, Unauthorized translation, August 2007, accessed: 10 May 2008
• He is a staunch supporter of Israel and has warned in the past of the danger of right-wing extremism and antisemitism. He has received the Jerusalem Prize of the {{lang|de|Zionistische Organisation in Deutschland}} (Zionistin Organisation of Germany) in July 2006 for his efforts.[http://www.wzo.org.il/doingzionism/about_us/activity.asp?id=337 Dr. Guenther Beckstein Recipient of the Jerusalem Prize in Germany] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920102038/http://www.wzo.org.il/doingzionism/about_us/activity.asp?id=337 |date=20 September 2008 }} World Zionist Organisation, 10 July 2006, accessed: 10 May 2008
• He has warned repeatedly of the dangers arising from Islamist extremists in Germany and has asked for greater powers for government security departments to deal with those. He was criticized for this by members of the SPD and German Muslims.
• As the head of the Bavarian government, Beckstein had the final say on whether Hitler's Mein Kampf could be published in Germany, since Bavaria holds the copyrights. Beckstein disallowed any form of publication of the book in Germany, fearing it would fuel right-wing extremism.[http://dialoginternational.typepad.com/ A New Critical Edition of Mein Kampf?] Dialog International, German-American opinion, 5 May 2008, accessed: 10 May 2008
• Beckstein caused controversy in the run-up to Oktoberfest by declaring that people who drink two Maß of beerThis would mean 2 litres (3.5 imp pt) of Bavarian beer over several hours are fit to drive.

• Deutsche Bank, Member of the Regional Advisory Board for Bavaria (since 2011)[https://geschaeftsbericht.deutsche-bank.de/2011/gb/serviceseiten/downloads/files/dbfy2011_verzeichnis_beiratsmitglieder.pdf Members of the Regional Advisory Board for Bavaria, 2011] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505070325/https://geschaeftsbericht.deutsche-bank.de/2011/gb/serviceseiten/downloads/files/dbfy2011_verzeichnis_beiratsmitglieder.pdf |date=5 May 2018 }} Deutsche Bank.[https://www.db.com/company/de/media/Bezirksbeiraete-fuer-Deutschland--Regional-Advisory-Councils-for-Germany.pdf Members of the Regional Advisory Board, 2017] Deutsche Bank.
• University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Member of the Board of Trustees[https://www.fau.eu/fau/organisation-and-committees/fau-advisory-board/#collapse_9 Board of Trustees] University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

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{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2813376,00.html Günther Beckstein Sworn in as new Bavarian Premier] Deutsche Welle article on Günther Beckstein
• [http://www.gavagai.de/zitat/politik/HHC26.htm Website with quotes of Günther Beckstein] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621002430/http://www.gavagai.de/zitat/politik/HHC26.htm |date=21 June 2009 }} (in German)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080507155205/http://www.bayern.de/Guenther-Beckstein-.261/index.htm Official Bavarian government website - Günther Beckstein biography] (in German)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070714235640/http://www.bayern.landtag.de/lebenslauf/lebenslauf_555500000083.html Günther Beckstein's curriculum vitae at the official website of the Bavarian Landtag] (in German)

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| title = Minister president of Bavaria

| before = Edmund Stoiber

| after = Horst Seehofer

| years = 2007–2008

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckstein, Gunther}}

Category:1943 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Hersbruck

Category:Ministers of the Bavaria State Government

Category:Members of the Bundestag for Bavaria

Category:Minister-presidents of Bavaria

Category:Members of the Landtag of Bavaria

Category:German Lutherans

Category:Jurists from Bavaria

Category:21st-century German politicians

Category:Members of the Bundestag for the Christian Social Union in Bavaria