Maria Böhmer

Born into a family of wine growers,{{Cite news |last=Schmoll |first=Heike |title=Maria Böhmer: Die integrative Staatsministerin |language=de |work=FAZ.NET |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/maria-boehmer-die-integrative-staatsministerin-1458903.html |access-date=2022-12-21 |issn=0174-4909}} and after graduating high school in 1968, Böhmer studied mathematics, physics, political science and education. In 1971 she passed the state examination, and received her doctorate Dr. phil. In 1974 from the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz.{{Cite web |title=Maria Böhmer - Munzinger Biographie |url=https://www.munzinger.de/search/portrait/maria+boehmer/0/23884.html |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=www.munzinger.de}} Upon receiving her PhD, she conducted research at the universities of Cambridge and Augsburg and gained a post-doctoral qualification in education at the University of Mainz in 1982.{{Cite web |title=Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer als Präsidentin der Deutschen UNESCO-Kommission nominiert {{!}} Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission |url=https://www.unesco.de/ueber-uns/ueber-die-duk/prof-dr-maria-boehmer-als-praesidentin-der-deutschen-unesco-kommission |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=www.unesco.de |date=16 December 2017 |language=de}} In 1993/94, Christian Baldauf was a research associate to her.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Biografie Baldauf, Christian |url=https://www.landtag.rlp.de/de/parlament/abgeordnete/abgeordnetensuche/biografie/?tx_rlpdelegate%5Bcontroller%5D=Delegate&tx_rlpdelegate%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_rlpdelegate_detail%5Bdelegate%5D=505 |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=rlp.de |language=de}} Since 2001, she has held the title of Associate Professor of Education at Heidelberg University of Education, but does not currently teach there.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Professorin Dr. Böhmer zur Präsidentin der UNESCO-Kommission gewählt |url=https://www.ph-heidelberg.de/presse-und-kommunikation/presse-mitteilungen/pressemitteilungen/details/personalia-56 |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.ph-heidelberg.de |date= 11 June 2018|language=de}}

From 1982 to 1990, Böhmer served as State Commissioner for Women in Rhineland Palatinate. Böhmer joined the CDU in 1985.{{Cite news |date=2015-05-07 |title=FRAUEN UNION DER CDU: Maria Böhmer kandidiert nicht mehr |language=de |pages=06 |work=Die Tageszeitung: taz |url=https://taz.de/!868635/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |issn=0931-9085}} She is a member of the Women's Union,{{Cite news |date=2001-09-03 |title=Maria Böhmer wird neue Chefin der Frauen-Union |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/vorab/a-154551.html |access-date=2022-09-28 |issn=2195-1349}} the Local Politics Association of the CDU and CSU of Germany, and the Christian Democratic Employees' Association.{{Cite web |title=Deutscher Bundestag - Böhmer, Dr. Maria |url=https://www.bundestag.de/webarchiv/abgeordnete/biografien18/B/boehmer_maria-258204 |access-date=2022-10-06 |website=Deutscher Bundestag |language=de}} From 1990, she was a member of the Bundestag as well as of the Federal Executive Board of the CDU.

Between 1994 and 1998, Böhmer served on the Committee on Labour and Social Affairs as well as on the Committee on Family Affairs. From 2000, she was part of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's leadership, first under chairman Friedrich Merz (2000–02) and later under chairwoman Angela Merkel (2002–05). From 2001, she served as Chairwoman of the Frauenunion, the CDU's women's organisation.[http://www.wdr.de/tv/civis/03civis02_03_en.phtml Board of Trustees: Maria Böhmer] CIVIS Media Foundation. In this capacity, she later publicly endorsed Merkel as the party's candidate to challenge incumbent Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the 2002 federal elections; instead, Edmund Stoiber ended up being the joint candidate of CDU and CSU.{{Cite news |last1=Deupmann |first1=Ulrich |last2=Schult |first2=Christoph |date=2002-01-06 |title=Die Einsame und der Ängstliche |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/die-einsame-und-der-aengstliche-a-17fd9572-0002-0001-0000-000021133563 |access-date=2022-12-21 |issn=2195-1349}}

In 2003, Böhmer was part of a group assigned by then-opposition leader and CDU chairwoman Angela Merkel to draft alternative proposals for social welfare reform in response to Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's "Agenda 2010". The so-called Herzog Commission – named after its chairman, former German President Roman Herzog – recommended a comprehensive package of reform proposals including, among other things, decoupling health and nursing care premiums from people's earnings and levying a lump monthly sum across the board instead.{{Cite web |title=German Opposition Split Over Reforms – DW – 10/08/2003 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/german-opposition-split-over-reforms/a-988212 |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=dw.com |language=en}}

Following the 2005 federal elections, Böhmer was part of the CDU/CSU team in the negotiations with the SPD on a coalition agreement.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2005-10-14 |title=Am Montag soll auch Merkels Liste stehen |url=https://www.abendblatt.de/politik/deutschland/article107047775/Am-Montag-soll-auch-Merkels-Liste-stehen.html |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=www.abendblatt.de |language=de-DE}} In November 2005, she joined the first cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel and became Minister of State for Integration in the Federal Chancellery and German Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration.[http://www.wdr.de/tv/civis/03civis02_03_en.phtml Board of Trustees: Maria Böhmer] CIVIS Media Foundation. In the negotiations to form a coalition government following the 2009 federal elections, she led the CDU/CSU delegation in the working group on families, integration of immigrants and culture.

In 2010, Böhmer proposed to introduce legally binding quotas to boost the low number of people with immigrant backgrounds in public sector jobs, saying it would ensure that the public service sector better mirrored the country's population; however, Germans politicians – both from Böhmer's own conservative Christian Democratic Party as well as from the centre-left opposition – opposed the measure.{{Cite web |title=Affirmative action – DW – 01/15/2010 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/german-politicians-reject-immigrant-quotas-in-the-public-sector/a-5129973 |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=dw.com |language=en}} With a focus on improving the integration of the country's immigrant population, Böhmer later that year rejected the conservative MEP Markus Ferber's call for having immigrants undergo intelligence tests before they are granted residency or citizenship rights in the country.{{Cite web |title=German politicians suggest immigrant 'intelligence test' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/7860804/German-politicians-suggest-immigrant-intelligence-test.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=www.telegraph.co.uk|date=29 June 2010 }} In tackling Germany's shortage of qualified workers, Böhmer favours targeting highly qualified foreign workers through measures such as lowering the minimum wage threshold for migrant workers.Andreas Cremer (22 August 2007), [https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ayU4F4WDYOdU Merkel to Tackle Skills Shortage in Einstein's Home] Bloomberg. Since 2010, Böhmer has been the patron of the German version of anti-racism education charity Show Racism the Red Card.[http://www.theredcard.de/schirmherrschaft/ „Show Racism the Red Card“-Schirmherrschaft] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204100911/http://www.theredcard.de/schirmherrschaft/ |date=4 December 2013 }}

After the deaths of nine Turkish citizens in a fire at a Ludwigshafen house on 3 February 2008, which media reports said may have been the result of arson involving neo-Nazis, Böhmer visited the fire site with Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.Alan Crawford and Andreas Cremer (7 February 2008), [https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aTnQWDqUaQEc&refer=germany Erdogan's German Visit Overshadowed by Fire Deaths] Bloomberg. In 2010, Böhmer accompanied Chancellor Merkel on a two-day state visit to Turkey. On the occasion of the German government's official celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the German-Turkish recruitment agreement in 2011, Böhmer – together with Merkel and Erdoğan – thanked the first Turkish guest workers for their services to Germany.{{Cite news |last1=Popp |first1=Maximilian |last2=Gezer |first2=Özlem |last3=Scheuermann |first3=Christoph |date=2011-11-02 |title=At Home in a Foreign Country: German Turks Struggle to Find Their Identity |language=en |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/at-home-in-a-foreign-country-german-turks-struggle-to-find-their-identity-a-795299.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |issn=2195-1349}} When Erdoğan in 2011 called on the large Turkish community living in Germany to teach their children the Turkish language first and then German, Böhmer countered that "[o]nly those with good German have opportunities to advance in our country."{{Cite news |last=Dempsey |first=Judy |date=2011-02-28 |title=German Politicians Assail Turkish Leader Over Cultural Remarks |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/world/europe/01iht-germany01.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |issn=0362-4331}} In a controversy surrounding a neo-Nazi terrorist cell trial in 2013, she called on the Munich Higher Regional Court to give Turkish media access to the trial.{{Cite news |date=2013-03-27 |title=Politicians Call for Turkish Media at Neo Nazi Terrorist Cell Trial |language=en |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/politicians-call-for-turkish-media-at-neo-nazi-terrorist-cell-trial-a-891324.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |issn=2195-1349}}

Following the 2013 federal elections, Böhmer was again part of the CDU/CSU team in the negotiations with the SPD on a coalition agreement.

As Minister of State in the Federal Foreign Office, Böhmer was primarily responsible for cultural relations and education policy as well as of the Asia and South America regions. In 2015, she served as chairwoman of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.{{Cite web |title=World Heritage – DW – 06/25/2015 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/maria-b%C3%B6hmer-we-have-a-special-obligation-to-protect-our-world-heritage/a-18540984 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=dw.com |language=en}} When Böhmer’s term as chairwoman ended, Steinmeier appointed her as Special Representative of the Federal Foreign Office for UNESCO World Heritage, UNESCO Cultural Conventions and UNESCO Education and Science Programmes.{{Cite web |last=Amt |first=Auswärtiges |title=Foreign Minister Steinmeier appoints Minister of State Böhmer as Special Representative for UNESCO World Heritage |url=https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/160407-unesco-sonderbeauftragte-boehmer/279700 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=German Federal Foreign Office |language=en}}

During her time in office, Böhmer witnessed the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB) between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on 27 March 2014 at the Malacañang Palace in Manila.{{Cite web |last=Lee-Brago |first=Pia |title=Germany reiterates support for peaceful resolution of sea row |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/03/28/1306049/germany-reiterates-support-peaceful-resolution-sea-row |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Philstar.com}} As Germany's official representative, she took part in the inauguration ceremony for Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on 11 March 2014.{{Cite web |last=Amt |first=Auswärtiges |title=Minister of State Böhmer represents the Federal Government at the inauguration of the President of Chile, Bachelet |url=https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/140307-stm-b-chile/260538 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=German Federal Foreign Office |language=en}} Since 2014, she has accompanied German President Joachim Gauck on state visits to the Czech Republic (May 2014), Luxembourg (November 2014),{{Cite web |date=2014-11-04 |title=Visite d'État au Luxembourg du président de la République fédérale d'Allemagne, Joachim Gauck, et de Madame Daniela Schadt (3.-5.11.2014) |url=https://gouvernement.lu/fr/actualites/toutes_actualites/articles/2014/11-novembre/04-gauck-visite.html |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=gouvernement.lu}} Tanzania (February 2015),{{Cite web |date=2015-02-04 |title=German President Joachim Gauck in Tanzania |url=https://www.kas.de/en/web/tansania/veranstaltungsberichte/detail/-/content/bundespraesident-gauck-in-tansania |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=www.kas.de}} Peru (March 2015), and Ireland (July 2015).{{Cite web |title=Gauck nimmt Schneider-Wein zu Staatsbesuch in Irland mit - Pfalz |url=https://www.rheinpfalz.de/pfalz_artikel,-gauck-nimmt-schneider-wein-zu-staatsbesuch-in-irland-mit-_arid,379135.html |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=www.rheinpfalz.de |date=16 July 2015 |language=de}}

In September 2016, Böhmer announced that she would not stand in the 2017 federal elections but instead resign from active politics by the end of the parliamentary term.{{Cite web |date=2016-09-24 |title=Maria Böhmer tritt bei der Bundestagswahl nicht mehr an |url=https://www.focus.de/regional/ludwigshafen-am-rhein/parteien-maria-boehmer-tritt-bei-der-bundestagswahl-nicht-mehr-an_id_5982825.html |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=www.focus.de}}

She is one of the 75 Union MPs - 68 from the CDU (26.9% of all CDU MPs) and 7 from the CSU (12.5% of all CSU MPs) - who voted in favor of same-sex marriage at the end of June 2017.{{Cite news |last= |date=2017-06-30 |title=Ehe für alle: Welcher Abgeordnete dafür und welcher dagegen stimmte |language=de |work=DIE WELT |url=https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article166099805/Diese-Unionsabgeordneten-stimmten-fuer-die-Ehe-fuer-alle.html |access-date=2022-06-24}}

In June 2018, Böhmer was elected as President of the German Commission for UNESCO.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2017-12-17 |title=Staatsministerin des Auswärtigen Amtes: Maria Böhmer soll deutsche Unesco leiten |url=https://rp-online.de/politik/deutschland/staatsministerin-maria-boehmer-soll-deutsche-unesco-leiten_aid-17693377 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=rp-online.de |language=de}}{{Cite web |title=Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer ist neue Präsidentin der Deutschen UNESCO-Kommission {{!}} Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission |url=https://www.unesco.de/node/1524 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=www.unesco.de |date=8 June 2018 |language=de}}

• Arte, Member of the Programme Advisory Committee[https://www.arte.tv/sites/corporate/en/programme-advisory-committee-arte-geie/ Programme Advisory Committee] Arte.
• Stiftung Hambacher Schloss, Deputy Chair of the Advisory Board (since 2020)[https://www.rheinpfalz.de/lokal/neustadt_artikel,-neuer-beirat-der-stiftung-hambacher-schloss-kommt-erstmals-zusammen-_arid,5102103.html Neuer Beirat der Stiftung Hambacher Schloss kommt erstmals zusammen] Die Rheinpfalz, August 25, 2020.
• Hertie-Stiftung, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2016)[http://www.ghst.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/details/article/wechsel-im-kuratorium-der-hertie-stiftung/#_ Wechsel im Kuratorium der Hertie-Stiftung] Hertie-Stiftung, press release of 22 November 2016.
• START-Stiftung, Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees (since 2016)[http://www.ghst.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/details/article/maria-boehmer-neue-vorsitzende-des-kuratoriums-der-start-stiftung/#_ Maria Böhmer neue Vorsitzende des Kuratoriums der START-Stiftung] Hertie-Stiftung, press release of 8 November 2016.
• Central Committee of German Catholics, Member{{Cite web|url=http://www.zdk.de/organisation/mitglieder/mitgliederliste/|title = ZDK - Zentralkomitee der deutschen Katholiken | Aufbau | Mitglieder | Mitgliederliste}}{{cite web|url=http://www.maria-boehmer.de/page/ueber-mich/224 |title=Über mich |access-date=9 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516163547/http://www.maria-boehmer.de/page/ueber-mich/224 |archive-date=16 May 2013 }}
• Deutschlandstiftung Integration, Member of the Board of Trustees
• European Foundation for the Speyer Cathedral, Member of the Board of Trustees
• Federal Cultural Foundation, ex-officio Member of the Board of Trustees
• International Journalists' Programmes, Member of the Board of Trustees
• Leibniz Association, Member of the Senate
• Stiftung Lesen, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2015)
• Tarabya Academy, Chairwoman of the Advisory Board
• Turkey: Culture of Change Initiative (TCCI), Member of the Advisory Board[http://www.tcci-de.org/advisory-board/# Advisory Board] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128074628/http://www.tcci-de.org/advisory-board/ |date=28 January 2018 }} Turkey: Culture of Change Initiative (TCCI).
• ZDF Television Council, Member (1992–2016) and deputy chairwoman (2002–2016)[http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/AAmt/Leitung/StMBoehmer_node.html Maria Böhmer, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office] Federal Foreign Office.
• 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, Member of the Board of Trustees[https://web.archive.org/web/20160826023702/http://de.fifa.com/womensworldcup/news/y=2008/m=9/news=kuratorium-unter-vorsitz-von-thomas-bach-892133.html WM-Kuratorium unter Vorsitz von Dr. Thomas Bach] FIFA, press release of 30 September 2008.

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.maria-boehmer.de/ Official website] {{in lang|de}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090923075657/http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/abgeordnete/bio/B/boehmma0.html Biography] at the Bundestag's website {{in lang|de}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070926233648/http://www.bundesregierung.de/nn_6516/Content/EN/Biographien/biographie-maria-boehmer.html Biography]

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Category:1950 births

Category:Living people

Category:Politicians from Mainz

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