Norbert Blüm (21 July 1935 – 23 April 2020) was a German politician who served as a federal legislator from North Rhine-Westphalia, chairman of the CDU North Rhine-Westphalia (1987–1999), and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. Blüm was the only cabinet member who served in his function for all sixteen years of Helmut Kohl's time as Chancellor of Germany. He served as a member of the Bundestag from 1972 to 1981 and again from 1983 to 2002. Blüm was part of the left wing of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Early life and education Born in Rüsselsheim am Main, Blüm attended the Volksschule. In 1950, aged 15, Blüm joined the CDU. This year he also joined the IG Metall. That's why he often was nicknamed Herz-Jesu-Marxist. He trained and worked locally as a toolmaker for Opel from 1949 to 1957. He was engaged in the factory as a youth representative. During this time, he was a founding member of the local Boy Scouts affiliation, the Deutsche Pfadfinderschaft Sankt Georg. In 1961 he passed his Abitur at an Abendgymnasium in Mainz, thereby obtaining the university entrance qualification. He studied German language and literature, history, philosophy and theology at the University of Bonn and University of Cologne until 1967. One of his teachers was Joseph Ratzinger. In 1967, he received his doctorate of philosophy (PhD) in Bonn with the dissertation Willenslehre und Soziallehre bei Ferdinand Tönnies. Ein Beitrag zum Verständnis von "Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft". Career From 1977 to 1987 Blüm was chairman of the Christian Democratic Employees' Association. He was a member of the CDU federal executive committee from 1969 to 2000. He was chairman of the CDU of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1987 to 1999. Blüm was a member of the Bundestag for the CDU from 1972 to 1981 and from 1983 to 2002. From 1981 to 1982 he was Senator of Berlin. He was vice chairman of the federal CDU from 1981 to 1990 and again from 1992 to 2000. Blüm was Federal Minister for Labour and Social Affairs from 1982 to 1998. As minister, he was responsible for reforms and changes in the pension system. His greatest political success was the introduction of long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) in 1995, after those reform plans were hotly and controversially debated in the Bundestag. Political positions Blüm adhered to Christian values and belonged to the left wing of the