Helmut Schmidt: Foreigners Who Visited Keio University

2018/03/03

The visit of former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt to the Juku was part of the Faculty of Economics Centennial Anniversary events in the spring of 1991, but this commemorative project actually consisted of two parts.

The first was the Centennial Anniversary Symposium titled "Adjustment and Cooperation in the World Economy" (held on April 23 of the same year at the Imperial Hotel) amidst the turbulent international situation. In addition to Mr. Schmidt, the speakers at this symposium included Raymond Barre (former Prime Minister of France), Paul Volcker (former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Board), Viktor Alkhimov (Governor of the State Bank of the USSR), Eiichi Matsumoto (Vice Chairman of the Bank of Tokyo), and Toyoo Gyohten (former Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, serving as moderator). Former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda was also seen in the audience.

Looking back, 1991 was a year of great upheaval. In the Soviet Union, President Gorbachev decided on the transition to a market economy, and in the new Russian Republic, Mr. Yeltsin was inaugurated as President. Furthermore, the failure of the summer coup by old-guard Soviet hardliners led to the dissolution of the Communist Party and the disappearance of the Soviet Union. On the other hand, the Gulf War broke out in Kuwait at the beginning of the year, and in Europe, East and West Germany had been unified the previous year. This year also saw the European Community (EC) summit meeting where the creation of the European Union (EU) was discussed, leading to the signing of the Maastricht Treaty the following year in 1992.

The second part of the commemorative project was the ceremony for the conferral of an honorary doctorate and a commemorative lecture (March 13) to honor the achievements of Helmut Schmidt, who served as Chancellor of West Germany for eight years and was a political leader deeply involved in these tectonic shifts in international politics. Furthermore, at a later date (April 24), honorary doctorates from Keio University were conferred upon the aforementioned Raymond Barre and Paul Volcker, and commemorative lectures by both were held for students at the Mita West School Building.

As one of those who was ordered by then-Dean of the Faculty of Economics Torii to assist in the preparations for honoring Mr. Schmidt among these commemorative projects, and who had the honor of actually meeting him, I would like to describe his personality and political achievements below.

Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt (hereinafter Mr. Schmidt) was born and raised in the city of Hamburg in northern Germany in 1918. Upon reaching adulthood, he was drafted into the Wehrmacht and served in World War II as an artillery officer. After the war, he returned to Hamburg, entered the University of Hamburg, majored in economics, and completed his graduation thesis on Japan's currency reform shortly after the war. In later years, because one of the Ministry of Finance bureaucrats who played a role in this currency reform was Takeo Fukuda, who would later become the Prime Minister of Japan, the two developed a deep friendship. Mr. Schmidt's conviction at the time was that the prerequisite for economic stability is the stability of the monetary system, and only based on that can economic prosperity and political stability become possible. It can be said that this creed remained unchanged in his guidelines for action during the Cold War and the oil crisis as Chancellor, as well as in his basic policies for European integration.

While still a university student, he had already joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and after graduation, he worked for the local Hamburg state government. In 1953, he ran for the Bundestag from Hamburg and was elected for the first time. Subsequently, he was active in parliament as a debater on defense matters, but following the political changes of 1961, he returned to his hometown of Hamburg and became the State Minister of the Interior. In 1962, during the great flood of the Elbe River which resulted in 300 deaths, he took command on the front lines and earned a nationwide reputation as a "man of action in a crisis."

Taking this opportunity, he returned to the Bundestag again, became the deputy leader of the SPD in 1968, and was appointed Minister of Defense in the 1969 coalition cabinet with the Free Democratic Party (FDP) led by Willy Brandt (former Mayor of West Berlin).

His greatest task as Minister of Defense was the major reform of the Bundeswehr and the development of a realist defense policy that made the most of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) nuclear forces. In 1973, the Fourth Arab-Israeli War broke out, eventually leading to a serious oil crisis. Amidst this, Chancellor Brandt ordered him to concurrently serve as Minister of Economics and Minister of Finance, making him the person responsible for overall economic management. Then, in 1974, Chancellor Brandt resigned to take responsibility for an East German spy scandal, and Mr. Schmidt succeeded him as the fifth Chancellor of West Germany. He served as Chancellor for eight years until 1982.

His achievements during his time as Chancellor can be broadly divided into three areas.

First, amidst the Cold War, he achieved the Helsinki Accords (Declaration) in 1975 with the participation of both the Eastern and Western blocs and established the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. This prepared the way for the quiet Eastern European revolutions to come, the dramatic removal of the Berlin Wall and the unification of East and West Germany, and the collapse of the Soviet Union, which is a notable event in 20th-century history.

Second, together with his ally President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing of France, he established the European Council (1974) and created the "Summit" (G7) that continues today, holding the first summit at the Château de Rambouillet in France (1975). He also prepared the path toward monetary union (the Euro), which is essential for European integration. These policies were called the Bonn-Paris axis and became the foundation for the later establishment of the European Union (EU).

Third, he stood firm against the Baader-Meinhof Group (Red Army Faction), a terrorist group that had long plagued West Germany, and during the hijacking of a Lufthansa flight, he deployed special forces without hesitation to annihilate them.

Amidst this, while sensing great historical shifts, the eight-year Schmidt administration came to an end in 1982 due to the collapse of the coalition cabinet, handing over the seat of government to Helmut Kohl of the rival Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

The following year, in 1983, Mr. Schmidt became a co-editor and publisher of the quality newspaper "Die Zeit," devoting himself to intellectual and cultural activities. Nine years after leaving office, in March 1991, he received an honorary doctorate from Keio University.

The honorary doctorate commemorative lecture, titled "A New Role for Japan and Germany," was held at the overcrowded Mita Enzetsukan (Public Speaking Hall).

Mr. Schmidt first stated that within 30-odd years of the ruins of defeat, both Japan and Germany had turned from debtor nations to creditor nations through reconstruction and subsequent high growth, and their international influence had also increased. He noted that it was not surprising if this increased caution and dislike toward both countries in other nations, pointing out that "the political elites of Japan and Germany are unable to define the roles they should play in the rapidly changing world situation," and that responding to historical issues common to both countries and establishing lasting friendly relations with neighboring countries are important. From there, he proposed redefining a new role learned from history. Moreover, he stated that the issues both countries should tackle are not limited to historical problems; rather, they must not forget that there are many common, most important issues that must be addressed proactively, which are as follows.

First, the gap between the haves and the have-nots—that is, the widening of inequality. Second, the finiteness of resources and sustainability. Third, global environmental issues including global warming. Fourth, responding to the threat of global infectious diseases. Fifth, the increase in global population.

To tackle such 21st-century challenges now (as of 1991), he argued that first, "each and every one of us must have tolerance, consideration, and love." However, second, this must be accompanied by "economic, financial, and scientific reason," and reason is as necessary as morality.

Furthermore, he concluded his public speaking by saying, "The virtue of human solidarity and the function of conscience as a global responsibility will become increasingly important from now on."

It had already been nearly 10 years since he left office, and he was 73 years old. The end of the Cold War, the unification of East and West Germany, and the pan-European expansion of the EU were all events that occurred after he left office. However, it was the achievement of this man, none other, who was deeply involved in each of these and prepared for their realization with a long-term vision.

He enjoyed a longevity that is rare for a famous politician.

He passed away on November 11, 2015, at the age of 96. German Chancellor Merkel sent a eulogy stating, "We will long remember that Mr. Schmidt made an incomparable contribution to Germany." Condolences were sent not only from Germany but from countries all over the world. In particular, the British newspaper "The Guardian" remembered the deceased by publishing many memorial articles in addition to an editorial. One signed article therein noted that successive West German Chancellors uniformly spoke of the "German problem" above all else; Chancellor Adenauer spoke of alliance policies with the United States and France (Westpolitik), Chancellor Brandt advocated Ostpolitik, and the first Chancellor of a unified Germany, Kohl, spoke of the policy of merging East and West Germany. However, among them, only Chancellor Schmidt was a "Global Chancellor" with a global vision.

This year, 2018, marks the 100th anniversary of Mr. Schmidt's birth, but the world situation only continues to deepen in confusion. There is no way to know now what Mr. Schmidt was thinking or worried about in his final years. However, as one of those who had the honor of hearing his words a quarter-century ago, it seems that nothing is more appropriate to describe this than the following ancient poem.

An old steed lies in the stable,

Yet his ambition is for a thousand miles.

A man of noble spirit reaches his twilight years,

Yet his stout heart never ceases.

Cao Cao (Emperor Wu of Wei) (Translated by Ritsuko Inami)