Günter Nooke
Encyclopedia
Günter Nooke is a German
CDU
politician
and a former civil rights
activist.
, a small town in Brandenburg
. He grew up there only 150 km (90 mi) southeast of Berlin
, in the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR), near the Polish
border.
He was educated in Forst, Cottbus
and at the University of Leipzig
, where he studied physics
from 1980 to 1985. After graduating Nooke worked as a research assistant, latterly as a head of section from 1985 to 1990 at the industrial hygiene inspectorate in Cottbus.
He is married to sociologist Maria Nooke. They have three children.
movement in 1989, which led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Following the first (and only) democratic election in the GDR, he became Member of the People's Chamber for the opposition group named Alliance 90.
From 1990, to 1994 Nooke was a member of the parliament of the state of Brandenburg and was the chairman of the parliamentary group of Aliance 90. In 1996, he joined the CDU with other former civil rights acivists.
From 1998 to 2005 he was a member of the German Bundestag
, deputy chairman (2000-2002) and spokesperson for cultural and media affairs (2002-2005) of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
's cabinet as the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a former civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist.
Background
Nooke was born in Forst (Lausitz), GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, a small town in 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...
. He grew up there only 150 km (90 mi) southeast of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, in the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR), near the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
border.
He was educated in Forst, Cottbus
Cottbus
Cottbus is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree. As of , its population was .- History :...
and at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
, where he studied physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from 1980 to 1985. After graduating Nooke worked as a research assistant, latterly as a head of section from 1985 to 1990 at the industrial hygiene inspectorate in Cottbus.
He is married to sociologist Maria Nooke. They have three children.
Politician
Since 1987, he had been a member of a church opposition group and got involved in the growing democracyDemocracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
movement in 1989, which led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Following the first (and only) democratic election in the GDR, he became Member of the People's Chamber for the opposition group named Alliance 90.
From 1990, to 1994 Nooke was a member of the parliament of the state of Brandenburg and was the chairman of the parliamentary group of Aliance 90. In 1996, he joined the CDU with other former civil rights acivists.
From 1998 to 2005 he was a member of the German 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...
, deputy chairman (2000-2002) and spokesperson for cultural and media affairs (2002-2005) of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
Administration
On March 8, 2006, he was appointed as a a member of Chancellor Angela MerkelAngela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
's cabinet as the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid.
External links
- The Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office
- Appointment press release, German Embassy Washington, D.C., March 15, 2006 «Wir wollen andere Kulturen nicht platt machen» (We don't want to bulldoze any other culture), Interview in online 'Netzeitung' from April 12, 2006 "Schröder hat viel kaputtgemacht" (Schroeder destroyed a lot) - Interview in German newspaper 'Der Tagesspiegel' from March 26, 2006 "Wenigstens einer hat es geschafft", (At least one has done it), Special online from March 16, 2006