He was the largest and oldest member of the city council.
The warning voice on legal issues.
The pragmatist who showed the way in confused situations.
After 31 years, Franz Neuhierl resigned from his mandate.
Fürstenfeldbruck -
A few days before his 79th birthday, Franz Neuhierl announced his departure from the city council.
The oldest is now followed by the youngest member of the committee.
The son of a parliamentary group colleague - something that was still forbidden when Neuhierl started out in politics.
When he took his first oath as a city councilor in 1990, only one family member was allowed to sit in the local parliament.
Remembering the swearing in
Even if with a time lag, Neuhierl also followed in the political footsteps of his father, a master baker who had once sat on the local council. Before the 1984 election, master confectioner Max Wimmer knocked on Franz Neuhierl's and asked if the lawyer wanted to be on the CSU list. It was not enough to move into the local parliament and six years later the CSU did not ask him any more, recalls Neuhierl. But the chairman of the Free Voters, Karl Bock. Neuhierl let himself be beaten and was elected to the city council with three other free voters.
The 79-year-old remembers the first session exactly. Max Steer swore him in. A few days later he was no longer mayor - the votes in the runoff election were counted and Eva-Maria Schumacher was head of the city. Neuhierl took over the office of parliamentary group chairman and filled it most of the time. He was very happy to work in the partnership - especially with Almunecar and Livry-Gargan. important for him with a view to the reconciliation between the Germans and the French.
In the 31 years Neuhierl has always seen himself as a decision-maker and control body.
“But you mustn't take care of administrative matters.” He describes the ear to the citizens and expert information for decision-making as important.
His opinion was valued in the city council - especially when it came to legal issues.
He dropped one or the other instruction about the rules of procedure, one or the other target-oriented advice.
“What I had to offer has done one or the other city council very well,” says the 79-year-old.
This was also the case in one of his last meetings when the Tübingen model was discussed.
Neuhierl directed the council colleagues to decide to set up corona rapid test stations.
+
Franz Neuhierl moved into the city council for the first time in 1990 for the free voters
© Weber
Neuhierl's greatest political defeat is described in one word: Deichenstegtrasse.
For 25 years he had fought for the second amp transition.
“I don't understand people,” he says.
“You want to create living space, but there is no sensible access to traffic.” It doesn't matter to him.
He always rides his bike to his office on Ludwigstrasse.
But it's about the matter.
However, he has now accepted the defeat.
Third mayor
Neuhierl's opinion was so valued that the city council elected him third mayor from 2002 to 2008. He describes the trio with Mayor Sepp Kellerer and Klaus-Peter Ernst as the “best team”. “We all pulled in the same direction.” A lot was discussed in the group, a lot got off the ground: the design of the Geschwister-Scholl-Platz, the development of the Uhl property, schools and kindergartens - and last but not least, Kellerer's favorite project, the Event forum Fürstenfeld. “I was against it,” says Neuhierl. He wouldn't have tied up that much money. But if he sees the result today, he can live with it.
During this time there was also a severe blow to health.
In 2007 Franz Neuhierl suffered an enlarged heart due to stress.
Many citizens feared for the life of the popular politician and came to the supplication mass.
“I celebrated my 65th birthday in a coma.” But he recovered and worked as a city councilor for many years.
More selfishness
During that time he observed a change in political work.
In the past, the parliamentary groups would have been more uniform.
"There was less personal vanity and one worked more towards a common goal." Society has become more selfish, you can feel that in the city council.
What is true today as then: "Clear leadership is important." Kellerer knew how, as mayor, he could win people over to his projects.
It shouldn't be 31 years. But when Neuhierl planned to leave in 2013, Gabriele Fröhlich left the parliamentary group six months before the 2014 election - and he ran again for the Free Voters. But now he draws a line. As a lawyer, he also plays with the idea of retiring. He wants to use his free time for e-bike tours. But he will continue to pursue local politics. "And maybe I'll moan too."