Klaus Hänsch was born on December 15, 1938 in Sprottau, Silesia. After the Second World War, his family fled to Flensburg.

He studied political science, history and sociology in Cologne, Paris and Berlin before joining the SPD.

From 1969 to 1970, he worked for the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister President Heinz Kühn as a consultant for cultural affairs within the framework of the Franco-German Treaty. He then worked until 1979, first as a press officer and later as a specialist advisor to the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of Science, Johannes Rau. From 1976 he also worked as a lecturer and from 1984 as an honorary professor at the University of Duisburg.

In 1979, he became a member of the European Parliament for 30 years as an SPD deputy and was its President from 1994 to 1997.

In this capacity, he visited the Hessian state capital on November 15, 1996 and took part in the inauguration of the Europaviertel development area.

At the subsequent reception in the ballroom of the town hall, Lord Mayor Achim Exner paid tribute to Dr. Hänsch's commitment to European unity. The politician thanked Dr. Hänsch for his kind invitation and signed the city's Golden Book.