Buchvorstellung mit Matthias Wissmann & Dr. Martin Grosch

A Portrait of Contemporary German History 

He is one of the few figures in the Federal Republic of Germany to have earned the highest recognition in top-level politics, the business world, and the legal profession: Matthias Wissmann.
As Federal Minister of Research and later Federal Minister of Transportation in Helmut Kohl’s cabinet, he played an active role in shaping the historic process of German reunification and implemented fundamental reforms.
Later, as the long-serving president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), he shaped the image of Germany’s most important key industry for an entire decade.
His biography paints, for the first time, a complete and vivid portrait of this Swabian “wanderer between worlds,” who is still valued today for his intellectual discipline, efficiency, and down-to-earth nature. 

The panel discussion will take an in-depth look at the milestones of his life’s work—from his early days in the Junge Union, through the modernization of the CDU, to the often difficult negotiation processes at the intersection of politics and business. The evening will open with an introduction by CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann. Following that, Wissmann himself and historian Dr. Martin Grosch will discuss on the panel a book that not only honors a personal life’s work but also serves as an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the contemporary history of our country. 

Matthias Wissmann, born in 1949, is an attorney, CDU politician, and former long-time automotive lobbyist. He shaped German federal politics for many years, including from 1993 to 1998 as Federal Minister of Transportation in Helmut Kohl’s cabinet and, until 2007, as chairman of the German Bundestag’s Committee on European Union Affairs. He then moved into the business sector and served as president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) from June 2007 to February 2018. 

Dr. Martin Grosch, born in 1969, is a senior civil servant, historian, and geographer. After completing his studies in Marburg and earning a doctorate on conservative politics in the German Empire, he worked for many years as a teacher of history and politics. As a lieutenant colonel (ret.) and as a lecturer—including at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College in Hamburg—he focuses intensively on historical, geopolitical, and security policy issues, which he also explores on numerous international research trips.

The evening will be opened by Federal Minister of Transportation Steffen Bilger.

Did you know? With our customer card, you get a 20% discount on events and workshops!

More information is available here:Book Presentation with Matthias Wissmann & Dr. Martin Grosch – Dussmann – The Cultural Department Store