Marianne Birthler
Encyclopedia
Marianne Birthler is a German human rights advocate and politician of the Alliance '90/The Greens
. Since 2000, she has served as the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives
, being the head of a government agency responsible for investigating the past crimes of the former communist secret police, Stasi
, of East Germany.
She grew up in East Germany, where she became a member of the Initiative for Peace and Human Rights
, which formed part of the resistance to the Soviet-imposed communist regime in the 1980s. She was elected to the only democratically elected People's Chamber in the GDR in March 1990, where she served as spokeswoman of the Alliance 90
. From German Reunification
on 3 October 1990 until the elections of 2 December 1990, she was a member of the Bundestag
, the Parliament of Germany. In October 1990, she became a member of the state parliament of Brandenburg
, and in November, she was appointed as Minister for Education in the state government of Manfred Stolpe
. She resigned from the parliament in the summer of 1992 and from the cabinet in October the same year.
From 1993 to 1994, she was co-spokesperson (i.e., leader, with Ludger Volmer) of the Alliance '90/The Greens. She was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz
in 1995.
In September 2000, she was appointed by the Parliament of Germany as Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives, succeeding Joachim 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 archives under her leadership, creating a controversy as she prepared to leave the authority the following month. As Federal Commissioner, she has notably been a strong critic of the far-left party Die Linke, the successor of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
, and has on several occasions criticized the party of being extremist and nominating former Stasi employees as members of parliament. She has also criticized other parties for cooperating with the Die Linke party, warning that the party should not be given political influence.
She was a member of the 2009 Federal Convention, serving as an elector of the President of Germany
. Before the election, she strongly criticized the SPD
candidate Gesine Schwan
for claiming that the GDR was "not an unjust state".
Marianne Birthler was formerly (until 1983) married to veterinarian Wolfgang Birthler, who has since become a cabinet minister of Brandenburg
. They have three daughters.
Alliance '90/The Greens
Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir...
. Since 2000, she has served as the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives
BStU
The Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives is a federal government agency of Germany that preserves and protects the archives and investigates the past crimes of the former Stasi, the secret police and intelligence organization of the communist German Democratic Republic . Since March 2011,...
, being the head of a government agency responsible for investigating the past crimes of the former communist secret police, Stasi
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
, of East Germany.
She grew up in East Germany, where she became a member of the Initiative for Peace and Human Rights
Initiative for Peace and Human Rights
The Initiative for Peace and Human Rights was the oldest opposition group in East Germany. It was founded at the beginning of 1986 and was independent of the churches and state...
, which formed part of the resistance to the Soviet-imposed communist regime in the 1980s. She was elected to the only democratically elected People's Chamber in the GDR in March 1990, where she served as spokeswoman of the Alliance 90
Alliance 90
Alliance 90 was an alliance of three non-Communist political groups in East Germany. It merged with the German Green Party in 1993 to form Alliance '90/The Greens....
. From German Reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
on 3 October 1990 until the elections of 2 December 1990, she was a member of the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
, the Parliament of Germany. In October 1990, she became a member of the state parliament of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, and in November, she was appointed as Minister for Education in the state government of Manfred Stolpe
Manfred Stolpe
Manfred Stolpe was Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Housing of the Federal Republic of Germany from 2002 until 2005. From 1990 until 2002 he was Premier of the State of Brandenburg.-Biography:...
. She resigned from the parliament in the summer of 1992 and from the cabinet in October the same year.
From 1993 to 1994, she was co-spokesperson (i.e., leader, with Ludger Volmer) of the Alliance '90/The Greens. She was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
in 1995.
In September 2000, she was appointed by the Parliament of Germany as Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives, succeeding Joachim Gauck
Joachim Gauck
Joachim Gauck is a German politician, journalist and theologian. After a brief political career during Die Wende in Eastern Germany, the co-founder of the New Forum was elected member of the People's Chamber for the Alliance 90 in 1990...
. She was appointed to a second term in January 2006. In February 2011 it was revealed 53 former Stasi agents were employed at the archives under her leadership, creating a controversy as she prepared to leave the authority the following month. As Federal Commissioner, she has notably been a strong critic of the far-left party Die Linke, the successor of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
, and has on several occasions criticized the party of being extremist and nominating former Stasi employees as members of parliament. She has also criticized other parties for cooperating with the Die Linke party, warning that the party should not be given political influence.
She was a member of the 2009 Federal Convention, serving as an elector of the President of Germany
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
. Before the election, she strongly criticized the SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
candidate Gesine Schwan
Gesine Schwan
Gesine Schwan is a German political science professor and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. The party has nominated her twice as a candidate for the federal presidential elections. On 23 May 2004, she was defeated by the Christian Democrat and former president Horst Köhler...
for claiming that the GDR was "not an unjust state".
Marianne Birthler was formerly (until 1983) married to veterinarian Wolfgang Birthler, who has since become a cabinet minister of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
. They have three daughters.