Rita Süssmuth
Rita Süssmuth (née Kickuth; German pronunciation: [ˈʁiːta ˈzyːsmuːt]; born 17 February 1937) is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She served as the tenth president of the Bundestag.
Rita Süssmuth | |
|---|---|
Süssmuth in 2014 | |
| President of the Bundestag West Germany until 1990 | |
| In office 25 November 1988 – 26 October 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Philipp Jenninger |
| Succeeded by | Wolfgang Thierse |
| Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth | |
| In office 26 September 1985 – 25 November 1988 | |
| Chancellor | Helmut Kohl |
| Preceded by | Heiner Geißler |
| Succeeded by | Ursula Lehr |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 February 1937 Wuppertal, Germany |
| Political party | CDU |
| Alma mater | University of Münster |
From 1985 to 1988, she served as Federal Minister for Youth, Family and Health (from 1986 youth, family, women and health) and from 1988 to 1998 as President of the German Bundestag. With close to 10 years, her tenure was the third longest in the history of the Bundestag. Only Eugen Gerstenmaier and Norbert Lammert held the position longer.
In addition to her political work, Süssmuth was President of the European Movement Germany (1994–1998) and member of the Advisory Board and Board of Trustees of the Bertelsmann Foundation (1997–2007).