Christina Rau | |
|---|---|
 Christina Rau in 2002 | |
| Spouse of the President of Germany | |
| In role 1 July 1999 – 30 June 2004 | |
| President | Johannes Rau |
| Preceded by | Christiane Herzog |
| Succeeded by | Eva Köhler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Christina Delius 30 October 1956 Bielefeld, West Germany |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | Uta Ranke-Heinemann (aunt) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University College of Wales King's College London |
Christina Rau (née Delius; 30 October 1956) is the widow of Johannes Rau, President of Germany from 1999–2004.
Early life
Rau is the maternal granddaughter of former President Gustav Heinemann. Her father was Eduard Delius, part in a long line of entrepreneurs in the textile industry of the Westphalian city of Bielefeld while her mother was Christa Heinemann, a daughter of the former President. Through her mother, Rau is the niece of theologian Uta Ranke-Heinemann. She attended boarding school in Switzerland (Hochalpines Institut Ftan) and the United Kingdom (Gordonstoun in Scotland, where Prince Andrew was a contemporary). Subsequently, she studied political science, economics and history at the University College of Wales and at King's College London.
Wedding
On 9 August 1982, she married Johannes Rau, 25 years her senior and a long-time friend of the Heinemann family, who was at that time the Prime Minister of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Activities
She was the patron of :
- UNICEF Germany,
- the Müttergenesungswerk,
- the Bundesverband der Organtransplantierten,
- the Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung
- the Red Cross Youth of Germany.
Honours
Foreign Honours
Austria:
Grand Cross of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria[1]
Estonia:
Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana[2]
Iceland:
Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon[3]
Latvia:
Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Stars
Spain:
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic[4]
References
- ↑ "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (PDF) (in German). p. 1654.
- ↑ Estonian Presidency Website (Estonian), Estonian State Decorations, Christina Rau
- ↑ Icelandic Presidency Website (Icelandic), Order of the Falcon, Johannes & Christina Rau Archived 1 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 1 July 2003, Grand Cross with Collar & Grand Cross respectively
- ↑ Boletín Oficial del Estado
External links
- Björn Engholm: Die First Lady, Spiegel Special 5/1999]
- "Anne Will: Die Gäste im Studio, Sendung vom 17.01.2010, 21.45 Uhr: Christina Rau, Kindernothilfe-Botschafterin" (in German). Bayerischer Rundfunk. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.