Rita Süssmuth

Who is Rita Süssmuth?

Rita Süssmuth is a German politician and a member of the Christian Democratic Union.

From 1985 to 1988, Süssmuth was Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth under Chancellor Helmut Kohl. She was a member of the German Bundestag from 1987 to 2002. After the resignation of Philipp Jenninger in 1988 she became President of the Bundestag. She held the post until 1998, when the SPD became the strongest group in parliament.

From 1986 to 2001, Süssmuth was president of the Frauenunion and therefore had a strong influence in her party.

Süssmuth graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Münster in 1964. From 1966 until 1982, she was a faculty member in education at University of Dortmund, Ruhr University, and their predecessor institutions. Since 2005, she has been president of the OTA Hochschule, a private university in Berlin. In 2006 she was awarded the Magnus Hirschfeld Medal for Sexual Reform for her courageous and far-sighted HIV/AIDS politics whilst federal minister. In addition, she currently sits on the Advisory Board for the German Foundation for World Population. She is also Member of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation established in 2008 to monitor tolerance in Europe and prepare recommendations to European governments and IGOs on fighting xenophobia and anti-semitism.