Otto Schily

Date of Birth: July 20, 1932

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Biography

Otto Schily is a distinguished German lawyer and politician, renowned for his service as the Federal Minister of the Interior of Germany from 1998 to 2005. He was born in Bochum, Germany, and pursued his education in law at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the Free University of Berlin. Schily began his career as a defense attorney, notably defending members of the Red Army Faction, a far-left militant organization. He co-founded the German Green Party (Die Grünen) in 1980 before switching allegiance to the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1989. During his tenure as Interior Minister, Schily was known for his stringent security policies, especially post-9/11, which sometimes stirred public debate but were credited with enhancing national security. He retired from active politics in 2009 but remains an influential figure in German political discourse.

5 Interesting Facts about Otto Schily

1. Otto Schily was a founding member of the German Green Party but later joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

2. He served as the Federal Minister of the Interior from 1998 to 2005, during which he was instrumental in shaping Germany’s counter-terrorism policies.

3. Schily defended several high-profile Red Army Faction members as a lawyer.

4. He played a key role in the implementation of Germany’s first anti-terror laws post-9/11.

5. Otto Schily received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his contributions to the country.