In 1948 he joined the CDU. There he was state treasurer of the
Rhineland regional association from 1952 to 1967 and federal treasurer from 1960 to 1967. He was a member of the German Bundestag from 1957 to 1976, where he initially represented the constituency of Geilenkirchen -Erkelenz - Jülich, later the constituency of Heinsberg. From 27 February 1958 to 19 January 1977, Burgbacher was also a member of the
European Parliament, where he was Vice-President from March 1973 to November 1975, having already been Chairman of the Energy Committee there from 1958 to 1967. From 1967 to 1969, he was a member of the
North Atlantic Assembly, where he chaired the Economic Committee. == Literature ==