Quick Facts
Biography
Wilhelm Knabe (born 8 October 1923 in Arnsdorf, Saxony) is a noted German ecologist, pacifist, civil servant, politician and a co-founder of the Green Party in Germany. He served as one of three speakers (that is, chairmen) of the Greens at the federal level from November 1982 until December 1984. He also served as the 1. Speaker of the party in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Knabe was a Member of the Bundestag from 1987 until 1990. He was vice mayor of the city of Mülheim from 1994 to 1999.
Before he became involved with Green politics, Knabe was a member of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany from 1946 to 1966.
As a Christian Democrat, Knabe fled the totalitarian communist regime of East Germany in 1959, and settled in West Germany. He is the father of noted historian Hubertus Knabe.
Honours
- Landesverdienstorden of North Rhine-Westphalia, 2007
