Christina Rau
Christina Rau (born Christina Delius; 30 October 1956) is the widow of Johannes Rau, President of Germany from 1999–2004.
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 |
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.