Rainer Barzel, 82; West German Politician Tried to Topple Willy Brandt
Rainer Barzel, 82, a conservative leader whose attempt to topple then-Chancellor Willy Brandt of West Germany was reportedly undermined by the East German spy service, died Saturday after a long illness, the Christian Democratic Union party announced, giving no other details.
As chairman of the Christian Democrats from 1971 to 1973, Barzel helped promote an unsuccessful vote of no confidence in Brandt, a Social Democrat.
Barzel, a strong advocate of German reunification, opposed Brandt’s efforts to seek reconciliation with communist East Germany and the Soviet Union.
The conservatives lost the 1972 vote narrowly. Markus Wolf, former head of the East German Stasi secret service, said later that his operatives had bribed at least one conservative lawmaker not to vote against Brandt.
Brandt also defeated Barzel in national elections in 1972.
Born in the former German territory of East Prussia in what is now Poland, Barzel served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He left parliament in 1987 after 30 years, including 10 as Christian Democrat faction leader.
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