Ortwin Runde

Ortwin Runde (born 12 February 1944) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). He was the First Mayor (Erster Bürgermeister) of the Free and Hanseatic City Hamburg from 1997 to 2001. Early life and education Runde was born in Elbing (Elbląg), Danzig-Westpreußen. After receiving his high-school diploma in 1964, Runde studied Economics and Sociology at the universities of Münster and Hamburg. He received his diploma in Sociology in 1969. He entered public service in Hamburg in 1970. Political career Runde joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1968, and was member of in the state executive of the youth organizations of the SPD (Young Socialists in the SPD) from 1969 to 1971. In 1978 he became one of deputy chairman of Hamburg's SPD, from 1983 to 1988 he was chairman of Hamburg's SPD. From 1974 to 1988 he was elected as a member of Hamburg's city assembly (Hamburger Bürgerschaft).