Jens Beutel

Jens Beutel (12 July 1946– 8 May 2019) was a German judge and politician. A member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), he served as Oberbürgermeister (mayor) of Mainz, the state capital of Rheinland-Pfalz, from 1997 to 2011. During his tenure, the city improved especially by building projects, including the new synagogue, and new parks. Career Born in Lünen, Westphalia, Beutel studied law at the University of Mainz from 1968 to 1976 and then served as a judge in Frankenthal, Koblenz and Mainz. He presided over the Mainzer Landgericht in the Worms abuse cases, which received nationwide attention. He began his political career as in Mombach, a borough of Mainz, in 1974. Beutel was elected to the city council of Mainz (Stadtrat) in 1989, where he focused on topics such as building, traffic, finance, commerce and sports. He became chairman of the Mainz SPD in 1995. Beutel was elected as Oberbürgermeister in 1996, the first who was elected to the position directly by the citizens. He took up the office on 3 May. During his time as mayor, a new shopping passage, a new stadium and the new synagogue were built, the Sanctuary of Isis and Magna Mater was discovered. Projects which improved the appearance of the city included a new design of the parks along the Rhine river, especially a garage close to the Kurfürstliches Schloss which made more park area available, the Kunsthalle as part of the former Zollhafen, the expansion of the and building along the Winterhafen. The expansion of the Staatstheater Mainz by a modern rooftop was discussed controversially. Other projects were the expansion of the Main Station, and a redesign of the area around Mainz Römisches Theater station at the Roman Theatre.