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| 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 (1956-10-30) 30 October 1956 (age 68) Bielefeld, West Germany |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
| Spouse |
Johannes Rau
(m. 1982; died 2006) |
| 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 (1921–2014), part in a long line of entrepreneurs in the textile industry of the Westphalian city of Bielefeld while her mother was Christa Heinemann (1929–2016), 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
Estonia: First Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
Latvia: Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Stars
Spain: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
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
- "State banquet hosted by the King of Sweden in honour of President Rau and Mrs. Rau (Image)". Imago-images.com. 8 May 2003.
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.
- 1956 births
- People educated at Gordonstoun
- Alumni of King's College London
- Living people
- People from Bielefeld
- Spouses of presidents of Germany
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
- Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 1st Class
- Recipients of the Grand Decoration with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria
- Recipients of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Dames Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Recipients of the Order of Merit of Berlin
- Johannes Rau