Hans Harder
 Hans Harder    (lawyer) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | March 23,1901 Hamburg |
| Died | April 25,1969 (Age 68) |
| Nationality | German |
| Alma mater | University of Freiburg, University of Munich, University of Jena |
Hamburg liberal politician | |
A Hans Harder attended the 1958 Bilderberg conference. The identity is uncertain, but it was probably Hans-Harder Biermann-Ratjen.
Hans-Harder Biermann-Ratjen was a powerful representative of the German educated bourgeoisie and politician of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) after 1945.
Early Life
Hans was born on March 23, 1901 in Hamburg and grew up in the cultivated atmosphere of the "royal" merchant houses. His father was the notary and writer, Dr. Hans Rudolf Ratjen, a very well-known personality in Hamburg. Hans was adopted by the Bremen art connoisseur and collector Leopold Biermann in 1920.
He studied law in Freiburg, Munich and Jena and obtained his doctorate in 1924. He started working as a notary in Hamburg in 1929 in one of the most prestigious companies.
Because of his courageous advocacy of modern art, he was removed from his position as chairman of the art association Hamburger Kunstverein in 1936.[1]
During World War 2 he was exempt from service due to the need to keep the company going, and after the collapse in 1945, he was one of the few untainted notaries on Hamburg.[2]
He was appointed Senator of the Cultural Administration by Mayor Rudolf Petersen, from June to December 1945. The reason he then left, was beacuse he wouldn't commit to a party, especially the CDU favored by the British Occupation Authorities, that was to be given senatorial posts.
Political offices
Biermann-Ratjen joined the liberal FDP in February 1947. He was mainly involved in cultural policy, but also in school policy. In the latter, for example, he spoke out in favor of freedom from learning materials for high school students and against six-year elementary school. From the end of 1949 Biermann-Ratjen participated within the Hamburg FDP in the democratic circle in which the left wing of the state party came together. From 1958 to 1967 he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
Biermann-Ratjen was first elected to the Hamburg parliament in 1949 and belonged to it until 1957 and again from 1961 to 1963. From 1949 to 1953 he was deputy chairman of the FDP parliamentary group.
At times he also headed the Senate Commission for the Administration of Justice (there was no independent judicial authority yet). As chairman of this commission, he ordered the initiation of disciplinary investigations against judges because of their activities during the time of National Socialism, against the will of the public prosecutor's office. In September 1959, he ordered a review of all death sentences given by special courts during the Nazi era in Hamburg.
Honors
In 1978 the Hamburg Senate created the Biermann-Ratjen Medal in memory of his services, which has since honored people who have made a cultural contribution to the city.
Other people
The Hans Harder who attended the 1958 Bilderberg might also have been lawyer Hans Harder, also from Hamburg.
Event Witnessed
| Event | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bilderberg/1958 | Buxton UK England | The 7th Bilderberg and the first one in the UK. 72 guests |
