 |
Katharina FockeWest German statesman
Date of Birth: 08.10.1922
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Katja Focke
- Education and Early Career
- Political Career
- Awards and Honors
- Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (1993)
Katja Focke
Katja Focke was born on October 9, 1922, in Berlin, Germany. Her father, Ernst Friedlaender, was a publicist and politician, and her mother, Franziska Schulz, was a doctor. In 1931, the family moved to Switzerland, and in 1934, they settled in Liechtenstein.
Education and Early Career
Focke graduated from high school in Davos in 1946. She then studied economics at the University of Zurich and went on to study German, history, and English at the University of Hamburg. In 1952, she also studied political science in Oklahoma. She earned her doctorate in 1954.
In 1954, Focke married Ernst Günther Focke, a politician. From 1961 to 1969, she worked as the managing director of the European Policy Training Center in Bonn.
Political Career
Focke joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1964. She was elected to the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1966 to 1969. From 1969 to 1980, she was a member of the Bundestag.
In 1972, Focke was appointed Federal Minister for Youth, Family, and Health in the cabinet of Willy Brandt. She retained this position in the cabinet of Helmut Schmidt until 1976.
From 1979 to 1989, Focke was a member of the European Parliament, where she chaired the Committee on Development and Cooperation from 1984 to 1987.
Awards and Honors
Focke received the following awards:Grand Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1974)
Grand Cross with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1976)
