German politician, born in Herlishöfen/Württemberg, Germany. Active until 1933 in the Zentrumspartei (Central Party) and the Christian trade union movement, he became co-founder of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 1945. From 1947 to 1956 he was premier of the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Karl Arnold (March 21, 1901 – June 29, 1958) was a German politician.
Youth and early political activities
Arnold was born in Herrlishöfen in Württemberg.
From 1920 onwards, Arnold worked as functionary of the movement of Christian workers.
In 1928, he married Liesel Joeres.
Nazi era
In 1933, Arnold was co-owner of a sanitary installation shop in Düsseldorf.
German reconstruction after World War II
After World War II, Arnold became politically active again. Also in 1945, the Düsseldorf chapter of the united workers union was founded, presided by Arnold. On January 29, 1946, Arnold was named mayor of Düsseldorf and later elected in the first free elections (October 26, 1946).
In December, 1946, Arnold became deputy minister president of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and in 1947 he was elected minister president.
On September 7, 1949 he was elected as the first president of the federal Bundesrat of Germany, acting as head of state until Theodor Heuss was elected five days later.
From 1950 to 1956, Arnold was elected minister president for North Rhine-Westphalia twice again, governing with the help of conservative parties and the Free Democrats.
On February 20, 1956 FDP switched coalition affiliation to the SPD, ending the Arnold government in North Rhine-Westphalia.
In 1957, he was elected in the German Bundestag (with a 72 % majority in his election district).
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