Oliver Wittke (* September 24, 1966 in Marl, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a German politician for the CDU.
Oliver Wittke studied geosciences and economics at the Ruhr University Bochum. From 1999 to 2004 he was the direct elected mayor of Gelsenkirchen, this office was ever hold before by politicians of the SPD. On June 24, 2005 he was appointed minister for civil engineering and transport in the cabinet of Jürgen Rüttgers in North Rhine-Westphalia. Since December 10, 2007 he is member of the parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia for the election district of Herford.
On February 11, 2009, he resigned from his ministerial post due to revelations that he had been caught speeding (107 km/h in a residential zone) in November 2008. Pursuant to German law, he was barred from driving for a period of two months. He had committed a similarly severe traffic violation in 2000, and had been barred from driving for four weeks.
Famous quotes containing the word oliver:
““A man,” said Oliver Cromwell, “never rises so high as when he knows not whither he is going.” Dreams and drunkenness, the use of opium and alcohol are the semblance and counterfeit of this oracular genius, and hence their dangerous attraction for men. For the like reason they ask the aid of wild passions, as in gaming and war, to ape in some manner these flames and generosities of the heart.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)