He was a man who could proudly wear the term "lateral thinker" because at the time it was not used in a derogatory way, but was often used as a distinction for him by political friends and opponents alike.

Erich Pipa wasn't a politician like everyone else - that's what he meant.

The former district administrator of the Main-Kinzig district, a social democrat through and through, fought for his goals, and if he had to, he would do so with the toughest of nerves.

In order to reach them, he was willing to leave the beaten path and dare something new.

On the night of Easter Sunday, Erich Pipa died at the age of 73 after a serious illness.

Luise Glaser-Lotz

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for the Main-Kinzig district.

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"The Main-Kinzig district is losing an outstanding personality who was known and valued far beyond our district borders for his clear attitude, courage and passion for politics.

Erich Pipa was a tireless fighter for social justice and a modern, sustainable district," said district administrator Thorsten Stolz (SPD), Pipa's successor in the Gelnhausen district hall, in recognition of the deceased.

"His political work and actions have decisively advanced and strengthened the Main-Kinzig district.

We will remember Erich Pipa with honor as a politician and of course also as a person and contact person outside of the political business,” said Stolz.

From June 18, 2005 to June 2017, Pipa was district administrator of the Main-Kinzig district.

He also held the office of President of the Hessian District Council from 2013 to 2017.

He began his career in public service in 1965 with training as an administrative employee at the city of Hanau.

In 1987 he became the first district councilor under District Administrator Karl Eyerkaufer (SPD).

In 1993 the district council elected him full-time district deputy.

Initiator, doer and role model

Pipa gained national fame with his social policy.

On his initiative, the Main-Kinzig district was the first district in Germany to apply as an option municipality in 2004.

It was an experimental project for the care of long-term unemployed by cities or counties.

At that time, social affairs officer Pipa was a frequent guest on television talk shows, in which he spoke out strongly against excessive bureaucracy in the social sector.

Pipa also took the reins of action for digitization.

In 2012, he initiated the establishment of the Main-Kinzig GmbH broadband as a subsidiary of the Main-Kinzig district.

The expansion of a nationwide fiber optic network was carried out under municipal direction, an almost unique process in Germany.

As President of the Hessian District Council, the financial expert Pipa campaigned for the revision of the municipal financial equalization system.

“For him it was always about not just theorizing about political projects, but getting into action.

It was part of his way of doing things that had no precedent anywhere else.

Rather, he wanted to create these beacons in our Main-Kinzig district that others could take as an example,” describes First District Councilor Susanne Simmler (SPD) of her political companions.

In June 2016, Pipa announced his decision not to stand for another term as county commissioner.

Death threats from right-wing circles had hit him too deeply and have not been cleared up to this day.

As he said at the time, he also wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren and with his wife Eveline, with whom he liked to travel.