President of Germany Joachim Gauck

In 2012, Germany elected its president - it was Joachim Gauck. In the process of the electoral campaign, he scored 991 votes from national and regional members of parliament, defeating his main rival, Bute Klarsfeld (126 votes).

The former pastor of the Lutheran church, human rights activist, Gauk does not belong to any political party. He gained a high reputation due to a firm voice of his opinion, even in controversial issues. 80% of the German public consider him a person who is trustworthy. It is important to note that Chancellor Angela Merkel supported Gauck in the presidential election, and not Christian Wulff (a landmark in the policy of Germany).

Joachim Gauck: Biography

He was born in 1940 in the city of Rostock. The head of the family, his father, was an outstanding naval officer, captain of the ship. After the Second World War, the Communists occupied the eastern part of Germany, where Gauk lived, turning it into the German Democratic Republic (GDR). In 1951, his father was sent by Soviet troops to Siberia. In 1955 he was pardoned, and he again returned to Rostock.

Childhood Joachim spent behind the "iron curtain". And in adulthood begins to oppose the government of East Germany and the ideas of socialism. He refused to join the ranks of free German youth, joining a group that opposed communism. Even the state security police ("Stasi") considered him a zealous rebel and foretold him the possibility of repeating the fate of his father.

Pastor-anti-communist

Joachim Gauck was considered by the government as an incorrigible anticommunist. Therefore, he was forbidden to study journalism. Instead, he studied theology at the University of Rostock and became a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mecklenburg-Pomerania. But members of the state security continued to persecute him, as they were distrustful of Christianity.

In addition to his position, Gauk worked as a county and city youth pastor in Rostock.

Career and Revolution

During the 1989 peace revolution, the future German president Joachim Gauck joined the democratic opposition New Forum party. In this organization, he showed himself quite actively, and subsequently became its chairman.

In March 1990 he was elected to the People's Chamber of the GDR, which merged with two other democratic parties to form the Alliance-90.

In the same year after leaving the party, Joachim Gauck became the special head of the secret police archives of the Stasi. Afterwards he was commissioned to investigate serious communist crimes. In this position he served about 10 years.

Together with Jens Reich, Ulrike Poppe and three other activists, Gauk became a representative of the opposition in the GDR. And then he was awarded the Theodor-Heuss medal.

Responsible work

From 1990 to 2000, Gauke, during his work with secret archives, discovered thousands of people who collaborated with the Stasi and exposed the activities of the opposition. As a result, many of them lost their jobs in the public sector. In 1995, Gauck was awarded the "Federal Cross" for his first-class merit.

In addition, future President Joachim Gauck advocated for human rights and stressed the importance of ensuring that the history of communism in Central and Eastern Europe was not overshadowed by the era of the Third Reich.

In 1998, Gauk published the book "Black Book of Communism", where he presented his opinion on national socialism and communism. He was one of the first who signed the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism (2008) and the Declaration on the Crimes of Communism (2010). German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her deep gratitude to Joachim for his tireless work in the field of propaganda for the elimination of communism and other forms of totalitarianism at its 70th jubilee.

Change of position

In 2000, Marianna Birtler became the Federal Commissioner for Security Service Acts of the former GDR. Gauck left this post, as by law he could be elected no more than twice within five years.

In 2001, he became a member of the Council of the European Monitoring Center for Racism and Xenophobia.

In 2003, the incumbent German president receives the Bad Iburger Courage-Preises for his extremely brave deeds. In the same year he was elected chairman of the association "Against oblivion - for democracy."

In 2004 Gauk modernized the exhibition "Traces of Injustice", dedicated to the victims of the Nazi military justice in Torgau.

Who is the president of Germany?

In 2010, German President Horst Koehler resigns because of a moral fall before the people and the government. Nevertheless, many people considered him the best president due to his honesty and tolerance.

As a candidate for the presidency, Gauk was nominated from the parties SPD and Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen. However, in the third round of voting, he is defeated by the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Christian Wulff.

In 2012, with 991 votes, Joachim Gauck defeats Bute Klarsfeld and becomes president of Germany.

Special moment

"What a wonderful Sunday," said the newly elected President of Germany Gauk at the beginning of his short speech after the announcement of the election results. He immediately stressed that he intended to focus on the main topics and issues of importance for Europe and the world.

Before the assembled members of parliament in the German Bundestag on March 23, 2012 Gauk was sworn in.

His victory was very predictable. This is confirmed by a poll conducted by ARD television channel, which revealed that 80% of Germans consider him to be a person who deserves to be trusted.

"Emotional power"

German President Joachim Gauk has charisma. His biographer Gerd Langguth said that Gauk is someone who can touch the heart of every person with his speech.

To emphasize his unpredictable nature, he calls himself either a "left liberal conservative" or a "conservative liberal of the left".

Sueddeutsche Zeitung claims that its main strength is in preaching. And added that sometimes this emotional quality can be difficult: "His thoughts and words, and sometimes actions, are very difficult to predict. And this irritates some people. "

Frank statements from the president of one of the most powerful states of the world can become strong waves that move far and can be intertwined not only with the opinion of ordinary people, but also citizens of other powers. Mr. Gauck has already become a hero of many Germans, but he can become a hero for some "non-Germans" too!

The main goals of the president

Undoubtedly, the main goal of the new German president, like other politicians, is to win hearts of the public and prove to them that the German state is a country that is proud of its high status, honesty and transparency. After all, these are the qualities that today can rarely be seen in a world where politicians are hypocritical and transfer responsibility to others. At all conferences Gauk relentlessly argues that the best way for the development of the country is to help the needy and tolerance.

The incumbent president will also try to deal with right-wing extremism. This means that, after reviewing some sections of the constitution that refer to the immediate liquidation of political parties, which focus on the ideas of National Socialism, communism and xenophobia, it can recognize the organization of the NPD as illegal.

He will provide solid support to the German political parties, including the Merkel CDU, and have a beneficial effect on their work.

And his last goal will be the improvement of international relations with other countries, including the US, since the last head of state (Christian Wulff) has not achieved any results in this matter.

Foreign policy

According to many political scientists, Joachim Gauck found the right formula in the conduct of Germany's foreign policy. The most important achievement is the deflation of the Second World War, strong cooperation and reconciliation with Germany's geographical "neighbors", commitment to European integration, reliable partnership with the United States, free trade. Germany stands for a concept of security based on respect for human rights. And most importantly, it is the maintenance of order and the upholding of its external interests, when fundamental changes take place in the world.

Based on its experience in ensuring human rights and the supreme law, Germany takes decisive measures to preserve and form an order based on the legitimate principles of the European Union, NATO and the United Nations. Gauk is fighting to ensure that brutal regimes are not covered by the foundations of state sovereignty and non-interference, participating in international security conferences.

Personal life

Joachim Gauck married Herhild Hansy Radtke in 1959, despite the prohibition of his father. This woman has been his lover since childhood, when he first met her at the age of ten. In 1960, the couple had their first child, Christian's son. In 1962 Martin was born, in 1966 - daughter Gezine, and Katarina - in 1979. In late 1980, Christian, Martin and Gezine were able to leave East Germany and emigrated to the FRG. While Katarina, as a child, remained with her parents.

The children of Gauk were severely discriminated against and deprived of the right to education by the communist regime, because their father was a pastor. Son Christian left the Federal Republic of Germany in 1987 and moved to West Germany to study medicine. As a result, he became a professional doctor.

In 1990, Joachim fell in love with journalist Helga Hirsch, a Warsaw correspondent for the weekly Die Zeit. This was the main reason for his divorce from his wife, Gerhild. Eight years later, Helga broke up with Gauk, but finally did not leave his life - she began to work as a consultant to the Federal President.

Currently Gauck lives with Danielle Schadt. Her family was engaged in the production of paint and varnish products, she also decided to study in Frankfurt / Main journalism. After that, she began to work as the head of the department of internal affairs in the "Nürnberger Zeitung". With the future president of Germany, she met in 2000 at a lecture in Nuremberg.

After the marriage Shadt quit her job in the newspaper and moved to her husband in Berlin. She fully supports her husband in the conduct of political affairs and shares his joy - he became a grandfather for twelve grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Summing up, we can conclude: many believe that the emotional Joachim Gauck (the photos presented above, this confirms) is a moral authority for the whole of Germany. The rating of the "former dissident" is constantly growing - he became a more attractive figure for the German public than Christian Wulff. He is a figure that is closely connected with the peaceful revolution in the GDR. Gauk courageously and fearlessly fought for his convictions, always speaks from the heart, but what he did for his state, his citizens will not forget.

So, today we learned who the German president is a Lutheran pastor, an anti-communist human rights activist and just a very kind person. German society does not in vain consider him a person who deserves trust. His years of experience will help him achieve his goals, so that the powerful power of Germany is even better.