Warsaw, 10 February 2025
The Polish–German Prize Committee, appointed by the Polish and German foreign ministers, decided to bestow the Prize on Professor Rita Süssmuth in recognition of the entirety of her work for strengthening Polish–German ties. The prize will be presented on 14 February by the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Due to the awardee’s notable position, the Prize Committee decided to grant her a special prize. In 1988–1998, Professor Rita Süssmuth served as the President of the German Bundestag. Additionally, for many years she headed the German Poland Institute (DPI) located in Darmstadt. Currently, she leads the Advisory Board of the Federal Association of Polish–German Societies. Her desire to build bridges between Poland and Germany inspired a social initiative for creating a memorial for Polish victims of WWII in the centre of Berlin.
Rita Süssmuth serves as an example of Polish–German reconciliation and cooperation. She took a step towards Poland when many people in the Federal Republic of Germany still found it difficult. What is even more important, she never ceased to work for the cause, which is mirrored by her ongoing efforts to finally create a memorial in Berlin to commemorate the injustice committed by German occupiers in Poland, and to demonstrate that a united Europe speaks with one voice – said the Prize Committee’s co-chair, Małgorzata Ławrowska-von Thadden. – At this time, such an engagement raises political controversy again. Rita Süssmuth is a stroke of luck for both of our nations – she added.
The Polish–German Prize is awarded “for outstanding merits for the development of Polish–German relations.” It was first established by the Polish–German Treaty of Good Neighbourship and Friendly Cooperation, signed on 17 June 1991. Besides prestige and recognition, the laureate also receives a financial reward offered by the Polish and German Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The last person awarded was Władysław Bartoszewski, honoured posthumously in 2015.
The Prize Committee is composed of:
- Małgorzata Ławrowska-von Thadden (co-chair), Piotr Buras, Maciej Popowski, Professor Krzysztof Ruchniewicz, Sławomir Sierakowski—from Poland,
- Dietmar Nietan (co-chair), Stephan Erb, Ulrike Kind, Professor Peter Oliver Loew, Joanna Maria Stolarek—from Germany.
Source – Foreign Ministry of Poland