Adopted name of Karl Herbert Frahm 1913- .
West German socialist politician, federal
chancellor (premier) 1969-74. He played a key
role in the
remoulding of the Social Democratic Party
(SPD) as a moderate socialist force (leader
1964-87). As mayor of West Berlin 1957-66,
Brandt became internationally known during
the Berlin Wall crisis 1961. He received the
Nobel Peace Prize 1971. Brandt, born in
Lubeck, changed his name when he fled to
Norway 1933 and became active in the
anti-Nazi resistance. He returned 1945 and
entered the Bundestag (federal parliament)
1949. In the `grand coalition' 1966-69 he
served as foreign minister and introduced
Ostpolitik, a policy of reconciliation
between East and West Europe, which was
continued when he became federal chancellor
1969, and culminated in the 1972 signing of
the Basic Treaty with East Germany. He
resigned from the chancellorship 1974
following the discovery that a close aide,
Gunther Guillaume, had been an East German
spy. Brandt continued to wield considerable
influence in the SPD, in particular over the
party's new radical left wing. He chaired the
Brandt Commission on Third World problems
1977-83 and was a member of the European
Parliament 1979-83.