Helms was notable for his 1972 party switch that threatened to collapse the government of Chancellor Willy Brandt.

Wilhelm Helms was born on 19 December 1923 in the Bissenhausen district of Twistringen, Germany.

The party selected him to its list for the 1969 West German federal election and he entered the Bundestag.

With the coalition down to 249 members, Helms’ party switch would shift the balance of power in the Bundestag.

The opposition proposed a vote of no-confidence in the government to replace Brandt with Rainer Barzel.

Brandt's government negotiated treaties with the Soviet Union and Poland that would coming for a vote.