1943- . German socialist politician, federal
deputy chair of the Social Democrat Party
(SPD) from 1987. Leader of the Saar regional
branch of the SPD from 1977 and former mayor
of Saarbrucken, West Germany, he was dubbed
`Red Oskar' because of his radical views on
military and environmental issues. His
attitude became more conservative once he had
become minister-president of Saarland in
1985.