Simplify the following text for a Grade 9 native English-speaking person.
Original: Lafontaine rose to prominence locally as mayor of SaarbrÃ 1\/4 cken and became more widely known as a critic of chancellor Helmut Schmidt 's support for the NATO plan to deploy Pershing II missiles in Germany .
Simplified: Lafontaine 's political career began locally as mayor of SaarbrÃ 1\/4 cken . He became widely known as a critic of chancellor Helmut Schmidt 's support for the NATO plan to put Pershing II missiles in Germany .