Dagmar Schipanski
- September 7, 2022
- 79 years
About Dagmar Schipanski
Dagmar Schipanski, 79, German physicist and politician, member and president of the Landtag of Thuringia (2004–2009).
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Full Biography
|Dagmar Elisabeth Schipanski (née Eichhorn; 3 September 1943 – 7 September 2022) was a German physicist, academic, and politician from Thuringia. Although best known for her 1999 nomination as President of Germany by the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party, the Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU), Schipanski held a variety of political and academic roles during her four-decade-long career and was awarded numerous honors, most notably the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1996.
Early life
Schipanski was born on 3 September 1943 in Sättelstädt, Thuringia, which later became a part of the German Democratic Republic. Her mother was a teacher, and her father was a pastor, who died in World War II. After graduating from high school in 1962, she became a student of applied physics at the Technical University of Magdeburg. In 1967, Schipanski began her career as an engineer, followed by a period of working as an assistant at TU Ilmenau. After earning her doctorate in 1976, Schipanski began her academic career as a lecturer in Ilmenau and, starting in 1990, as a professor. She served as Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at TU Ilmenau from 1992 to 1993 and as Rector of TU Ilmenau from 1995 to 1996.
From 1996 to 1998, Schipanski served as chair of the German Council of Science and Humanities, an advisory body that makes recommendations on the development of science and research to both the federal government and the state governments of Germany. She was elected to the Leopoldina, the national academy of Germany, in 1998, and served as a member of the Academia Europaea.
Political career
Despite not being a member of either party, Schipanski was nominated by the CDU and the CSU to be their candidate in the 1999 Presidential election. Schipanski lost the election to the former minister-president of North Rhine-Westphalia, Johannes Rau, a member of the Social Democratic Party, receiving 572 votes to Rau's 690 on the second ballot.
After her defeat, Schipanski remained active in politics and was appointed Minister of Science, Research, and the Arts in the cabinet of the minister-president of Thuringa, Bernhard Vogel, later that year. Schipanski would later join the CDU in 1999 and would remain in her ministerial position until 2004 when she was elected to the Landtag of Thuringia and became President of the Landtag. Schipanski lost her position in the Landtag as a result of the 2009 state election.
Personal life
Schipanski, a Protestant, was married and had three children. One of her children, Tankred, was a member of the Bundestag from 2009 until 2021.
Schipanski died on 7 September 2022 at the age of 79, after a short, serious illness.
Memberships
Since 1998, Schipanski has been a member of the board of directors of the MDR. From 2001 to 2007, she served as a member of the UNESCO World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology. From 2000 to 2009, Schipanski served as President of the German Cancer Aid. She has served as a member of the board of trustees of the German Foundation for Monument Protection since 2000, as chair of the board of the Lennart Bernadotte Foundation since 2003, and, since 2005, as the chair of the board of trustees of the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology.
Schipanski was an ambassador for the New Social Market Economy initiative[citation needed] and has served as a member of the Presidium of the Oskar Patzelt Foundation. She temporarily served as a member of the board of trustees of the Körber Foundation before leaving her post due to pressure from anti-tobacco activists. Since 2008, Schipanski has served as a member of the board of trustees of the International Martin Luther Foundation.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagmar_Schipanski
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Dagmar Schipanski's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what location was Dagmar Schipanski born on 3 September 1943?
- A.Berlin
- B.Magdeburg
- C.Sättelstädtcorrect
- D.Ilmenau
Dagmar Schipanski was born on 3 September 1943 in Sättelstädt, Thuringia.
Source: Early life
2.What was the professional occupation of Dagmar Schipanski's father?
- A.Engineer
- B.Physicist
- C.Teacher
- D.Pastorcorrect
Dagmar Schipanski's mother was a teacher, and her father was a pastor who died in World War II.
Source: Early life
3.Which subject did Dagmar Schipanski study at the Technical University of Magdeburg?
- A.Theology
- B.Electrical engineering
- C.Applied physicscorrect
- D.Political science
After graduating from high school in 1962, Dagmar Schipanski became a student of applied physics at the Technical University of Magdeburg.
Source: Early life
4.In what year did Dagmar Schipanski earn her doctorate?
- A.1976correct
- B.1992
- C.1967
- D.1990
After earning her doctorate in 1976, Dagmar Schipanski began her academic career as a lecturer in Ilmenau.
Source: Early life
5.Which prestigious award was presented to Dagmar Schipanski in 1996?
- A.Thuringian State Science Award
- B.Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germanycorrect
- C.Nobel Prize in Physics
- D.European Academic Medal
Dagmar Schipanski was awarded numerous honors, most notably the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1996.
Source: Biography introduction
6.Who defeated Dagmar Schipanski in the 1999 German Presidential election?
- A.Lennart Bernadotte
- B.Johannes Raucorrect
- C.Tankred Schipanski
- D.Bernhard Vogel
Dagmar Schipanski lost the 1999 presidential election to Johannes Rau, a member of the Social Democratic Party.
Source: Political career
7.In what year did Dagmar Schipanski join the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)?
- A.1999correct
- B.1996
- C.2004
- D.1998
Despite not being a member earlier, Dagmar Schipanski joined the CDU in 1999 following her presidential nomination and subsequent defeat.
Source: Political career
8.What role did Dagmar Schipanski hold in the Landtag of Thuringia from 2004 to 2009?
- A.Chair of the Budget Committee
- B.Minister of Science
- C.President of the Landtagcorrect
- D.Secretary of Research
Dagmar Schipanski was elected to the Landtag of Thuringia in 2004 and became President of the Landtag.
Source: Political career
9.Which academic institution did Dagmar Schipanski serve as Rector from 1995 to 1996?
- A.TU Ilmenaucorrect
- B.Technical University of Magdeburg
- C.University of Thuringia
- D.University of Berlin
Dagmar Schipanski served as Rector of TU Ilmenau from 1995 to 1996.
Source: Early life
10.How many children did Dagmar Schipanski have?
- A.One
- B.Four
- C.Threecorrect
- D.Two
Dagmar Schipanski, a Protestant, was married and had three children.
Source: Personal life
11.What was the name of Dagmar Schipanski's child who served in the Bundestag?
- A.Johannes
- B.Lennart
- C.Tankredcorrect
- D.Bernhard
One of Dagmar Schipanski's children, Tankred, was a member of the Bundestag from 2009 until 2021.
Source: Personal life
12.At what age did Dagmar Schipanski pass away in 2022?
- A.79correct
- B.78
- C.77
- D.80
Dagmar Schipanski died on 7 September 2022 at the age of 79.
Source: Personal life
13.Dagmar Schipanski served as President of which organization from 2000 to 2009?
- A.Oskar Patzelt Foundation
- B.Körber Foundation
- C.International Martin Luther Foundation
- D.German Cancer Aidcorrect
From 2000 to 2009, Dagmar Schipanski served as President of the German Cancer Aid.
Source: Memberships
14.Why did Dagmar Schipanski temporarily leave her position at the Körber Foundation?
- A.Elected to the Landtag
- B.Health complications
- C.Conflict of interest
- D.Pressure from anti-tobacco activistscorrect
Dagmar Schipanski temporarily served as a member of the board of trustees of the Körber Foundation before leaving due to pressure from anti-tobacco activists.
Source: Memberships
15.In what year was Dagmar Schipanski elected to the Leopoldina?
- A.1990
- B.2000
- C.1996
- D.1998correct
Dagmar Schipanski was elected to the Leopoldina, the national academy of Germany, in 1998.
Source: Early life
16.Which political party nominated Dagmar Schipanski as their presidential candidate in 1999?
- A.Green Party
- B.Social Democratic Party
- C.Christian Democratic Unioncorrect
- D.Free Democratic Party
Dagmar Schipanski was nominated by the CDU and the CSU to be their candidate in the 1999 Presidential election.
Source: Political career
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