Former German Minister for Foreign Affairs (1974 - 1992). Member of the Liberal Party in East Germany, he left the East in 1952, joining the Free Democrats in West Germany. Elected to the Bundestag in 1965, in 1974 he became the party’s Chairman, and led it into a coalition government with the Social Democrats, becoming Vice Chancellor and Minister for Foreign Affairs. His split with the SPD (1982) brought down the Government. He resigned from the Party Chairmanship, but retained his Government posts until 1992, playing a leading role in negotiating German reunification in 1990.