 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in German. (January 2022)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Marianne Birthler | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records | |
| In office 10 October 2000 – 14 March 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Joachim Gauck |
| Succeeded by | Roland Jahn |
| Minister for Education, Youth and Sport of Brandenburg | |
| In office 22 November 1990 – 29 October 1992 | |
| Minister-President | Manfred Stolpe |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Roland Resch |
| Member of theLandtag of Brandenburg | |
| In office 26 October 1990 – 30 September 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Peter Schüler |
| Constituency | Alliance 90/The Greens List |
| Member of theBundestag forVolkskammer | |
| In office 3 October 1990 – 20 December 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of theVolkskammer forBerlin | |
| In office 5 April 1990 – 2 October 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1948-01-22)22 January 1948 (age 78) Berlin,Allied-occupied Germany (now Germany) |
| Party | Alliance 90/The Greens |
| Other political affiliations | Alliance 90 (1990–1993) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Berlin |
| Alma mater | Fachschule für Außenhandel |
| Occupation |
|
| Website | |
Marianne Birthler (born 22 January 1948) is a German human rights advocate and politician of theAlliance '90/The Greens. From 2000 to 2011, she served as theFederal Commissioner for the Stasi Records, responsible for investigating the past crimes of theStasi, the former communist secret police ofEast Germany.[1] In 2016 she was offered the nomination of theCDU/CSU and her own party forPresident of Germany, but after some time decided not to run; the parties would have had a majority in theFederal Convention, securing her the election.[2]
Birthler grew up in East Germany and was active in child and youth work for the Church, first in her parish inPrenzlauer Berg, then as a youth advisor in the City of Berlin from 1987. In 1986 she co-founded a group called Church Solidarity (Solidarische Kirche), which campaigned for greater democracy in the church and in society.[3] In 1988 she joined theInitiative for Peace and Human Rights, which formed part of the resistance to the Soviet-imposed communist regime in the 1980s.[4]
Birthler was elected to the only democratically electedPeople's Chamber in the GDR in March 1990, where she served as spokeswoman of theAlliance 90. FromGerman Reunification on 3 October 1990 until the elections of 2 December 1990, she was a member of theBundestag, the Parliament of Germany. In October 1990, she became a member of the state parliament ofBrandenburg, and in November, she was appointed as Minister for Education in the state government of Minister-PresidentManfred Stolpe. She resigned from the parliament in the summer of 1992 and, in protest over Stolpe'sStasi contacts, from the cabinet in October the same year.
From 1993 to 1994, Birthler was co-spokesperson (i.e., leader, withLudger Volmer) of the Alliance '90/The Greens. She was awarded theBundesverdienstkreuz in 1995.
In September 2000, Birthler was appointed by the Parliament of Germany as Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records, succeedingJoachim Gauck. She was appointed to a second term in January 2006. In February 2011 it was revealed 53 former Stasi agents were employed at the Stasi Records Agency under her leadership, creating a controversy as she prepared to leave the authority the following month.[5][6] As Federal Commissioner, she has notably been a strong critic of the left partyDie Linke, the successor of theSocialist Unity Party of Germany, and has on several occasions criticised the party of being extremist and nominating former Stasi employees as members of parliament. She has also criticised other parties for cooperating with the Die Linke party, warning that the party should not be given political influence.
Birthler was a member of the 2009Federal Convention, serving as an elector of thePresident of Germany. Before the election, she strongly criticised theSPD candidateGesine Schwan for claiming that the GDR was "not an unjust state".
In late 2016,ChancellorAngela Merkel offered Birthler the opportunity to succeedJoachim Gauck asPresident of Germany; however, Birthler declined the offer.[7]
Together with Berlin architecture firmGraft, Birthler was selected to curate the German pavilion at the2018 Venice Architecture Bienniale.[8]
Birthler was formerly (until 1983) married to veterinarianWolfgang Birthler [de], who later became aregional cabinet minister under Minister-PresidentManfred Stolpe in Brandenburg. They have three daughters.
| Civic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records 2000–2011 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
