Christina Rau

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

Christina Rau
Christina Delius on occasion of the visit of the Russian president Vladimir Putin
Spouse of the President of Germany
In role
1 July 1999 – 30 June 2004
PresidentJohannes Rau
Preceded byChristiane Herzog
Succeeded byEva Köhler
Personal details
Born
Christina Delius

(1956-10-30) 30 October 1956
Bielefeld, West Germany
Political partySocial Democratic Party of Germany
Spouse(s)Johannes Rau
RelationsUta Ranke-Heinemann (aunt)
ChildrenPhilip Immanuel Rau
Anna Christina Rau
Laura Helene Rau
Alma materUniversity 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 Christa, 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
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References
  1. "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (pdf) (in German). p. 1654.
  2. Estonian Presidency Website (Estonian), Estonian State Decorations, Christina Rau
  3. 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
  4. Boletín Oficial del Estado
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