Lauritz Lauritzen

Lauritz Lauritzen (20 January 1910 – 5 June 1980) was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He was born in Kiel and died in Bad Honnef.

Life and career Lauritzen studied Law at the universities of Freiburg and Kiel and earned a doctorate (Dr. iur, equivalent to S.J.D.). After working as a high ranking civil servant at the Ministry of the Interior of the German Federal State of Lower Saxony, Lauritzen became mayor of Kassel. In 1963 he joined the Hessian government as Minister of Justice and Federal Affairs. A possible candidacy as Minister President of Hesse, was obstructed by an affair concerning donations to a football club. After the election of 1969, the name of the ministry was changed to Ministry of Urban Development and Housing. On 7 July 1972, Lauritzen additionally became head of the Ministries of Transport and of Post and Telecommunication. During the 1973 oil crisis Lauritzen took the opportunity to implement a general speed limit of 100 km/h (subsequently withdrawn) on German autobahns. He left the cabinet on 7 May 1974 upon the resignation of Chancellor Willy Brandt.