(pseudonym of Herbert Karl Frahm). Born Dec. 18, 1913, in Lübeck. Statesman of Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).
After graduating from the Gymnasium, Brandt worked for a newspaper in Lübeck. As a young man he was a member of the social democratic youth movement. In 1930 he became a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. In 1933 he emigrated to Norway, and later to Sweden (1940), where he worked as a journalist.
Brandt returned to West Germany in 1945. In 1948 the administrative board of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of West Germany appointed Brandt its representative in West Berlin. Between 1958 and 1962 he was chairman of the administrative board of the SDP of West Berlin. From 1957 to 1966 he was governing mayor of West Berlin. Since 1964 he has been chairman of the administrative board of the SDP. From December 1966 to October 1969, Brandt was vice-chancellor and minister of foreign affairs of a coalition government (Christian Democratic Union and SDP). Since October 1969 he has been federal chancellor of the FRG coalition government (SDP and Free Democratic Party).
The Brandt government has taken a stand in favor of developing relations with the USSR and other socialist countries. On Aug. 12, 1970, the Brandt government signed a treaty between the Soviet Union and the FRG. The treaty made an important contribution to the reduction of tension in Europe, and it created a basis for the development of relations between the USSR and the FRG.