View source for Heide Simonis

{{Short description|German politician (1943–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image               = Heide Simonis.jpg
| caption             = Simonis in 2009
| office              = [[Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein]]
| predecessor         = [[Björn Engholm]]<!--
| predecessor1        = [[Günther Jansen]]
| appointer1          = Björn Engholm
| deputy              = [[Claus Möller]] (1993–1996), [[Rainder Steenblock]] (1996–2000), [[Annemarie Lütkes]] (2000–2005)
| termend1            = 19 March 1993
| termstart1          = 10 March 1993
| successor1          = Claus Möller
| office1             = Deputy [[Minister-President]] of Schleswig-Holstein-->
| successor           = [[Peter Harry Carstensen]]
| termend             = 27 April 2005
| termstart           = 19 March 1993
| education           = {{ubl| [[University of Kiel]] | [[University of Erlangen–Nuremberg]] }}
| party               = [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic]]
| birth_name          = Heide Steinhardt
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|df=yes|1943|07|04}}
| birth_place         = [[Bonn]], [[Nazi Germany|Greater German Reich]]
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2023|07|12|1943|07|04}}
| death_place         = [[Kiel]], Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| office2             = [[Schleswig-Holstein]] Minister of Finance
| termstart2          = 5 May 1988
| termend2            = 19 March 1993
| predecessor2        = [[Roger Asmussen]]
| successor2          = Claus Möller
| appointer2          = <!--Björn Engholm-->
| office3             = Member of the [[Bundestag]]
| termstart3          = 3 October 1976
| termend3            = 8 June 1988<!--
| office4             = Member of the Kiel [[Municipal Council]]
| termstart4          = 1971
| termend4            = 1976 less important, no?-->
}}

'''Heide Simonis''' ({{IPA|de|ˈhaɪdə ziˈmoːnɪs|lang}}; 4 July 1943 – 12 July 2023) was a German author and politician of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD). She was minister of finance in [[Schleswig-Holstein]] from 1988 until 1993, when she became [[Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein|minister-president of Schleswig-Holstein]]. She was the first woman to serve as head of a state government in German history and the only woman to do so in the 20th century, serving until 2005. As of 2025, she is the longest serving former minister-president of Schleswig-Holstein and also the longest serving former female [[Minister-president (Germany)|minister-president of all German states]] (11 years, 343 days).

== Early life and education ==
Born Heide Steinhardt in [[Bonn]] on 4 July 1943,<ref name="BR" /> she was the oldest of three sisters.<ref name="ZDF" /> She had asthma as a young child and therefore spent time in children's homes from age three.<ref name="fembio" /> She completed school with the ''[[Abitur]]'' in 1962 in [[Nürnberg]].<ref name="BR" /> She then studied economics and sociology at the universities of [[University of Erlangen-Nuremberg|Erlangen-Nürnberg]] and [[University of Kiel|Kiel]], graduating with a degree in economics in 1967.<ref name="BR" /><ref name="Heed" /> She worked in different positions after 1967, beginning as a lecturer at the [[University of Lusaka]] in Zambia.<ref name="BR" /> She worked with her husband for an advisory panel of the [[World Health Organization|WHO]] in Japan on health development.<ref name="Casdorff" /> She later worked as vocational counsellor at the employment office of Kiel.<ref name="ZDF" />

== Career ==
=== National politics ===
Simonis joined the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] in 1969.<ref name="BR" /><ref name="Heed" /> She was elected to the German [[Bundestag]] in 1976,<ref name="BR" /> representing the [[Rendsburg-Eckernförde (electoral district)|Rendsburg-Eckernförde]] district, as then the youngest member of the parliament.<ref name="Heed" />

=== State politics ===
[[File:1651 Heide Simonis.JPG|thumb|Simonis in 2011]]
In 1988, Simonis was appointed minister of finance in [[Schleswig-Holstein]] by [[minister-president]] [[Björn Engholm]].<ref name="BR" /><ref name="Heed" /> In the [[1992 Schleswig-Holstein state election|1992 state elections]], she became a member of the [[Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein|legislature of Schleswig-Holstein]].<ref name="BR" /> 

On 19 May 1993, Simonis was elected minister-president of Schleswig-Holstein after her predecessor Engholm resigned due to a scandal.<ref name="Heed" /> She was the first woman in Germany to rise to this level in government. For her first cabinet, she kept almost all of Engholm's ministers.<ref name="Kampe" />

The [[1996 Schleswig-Holstein state election|1996 state elections]] saw the SPD representation drop to 39.8% from 46.2% in 1992, but Simonis was able to form a [[coalition]] with the [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Greens]].<ref name="Heed" /> In the [[2000 Schleswig-Holstein state election|2000 state elections]], at the height of a [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]'s [[CDU donations scandal|donations scandal]], the SPD was able to increase its share to 43.1%. At the time, the result was also seen as marking a victory for [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]] [[Gerhard Schröder]], who had campaigned ardently in support of Simonis.<ref>John Schmid (28 February 2000), [https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/28/IHT-result-in-schleswigholstein-sharpens-leadership-crisis-kohl-party-loses.html Result in Schleswig-Holstein Sharpens Leadership Crisis: Kohl Party Loses Regional Election] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720090244/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/28/IHT-result-in-schleswigholstein-sharpens-leadership-crisis-kohl-party-loses.html |date=20 July 2023 }} ''[[International Herald Tribune]]''.</ref>

Despite basing its campaign for the [[2005 Schleswig-Holstein state election|2005 elections]] on Simonis' popularity, the SPD suffered a heavy defeat due to the bad economic situation and its support dropped to 38.7% (for the first time in almost twenty years behind the CDU). On 17 March 2005, Simonis failed to be re-elected as minister-president of Schleswig-Holstein in four consecutive ballots by the Schleswig-Holstein Landtag.<ref name="NDR" /> In the first [[ballot]] she received 34 votes and [[Peter Harry Carstensen]] (CDU) received 33, while two deputies cast empty votes. Neither Simonis nor Carstensen got the [[majority|absolute majority]] (35 votes). In the second and third ballots the candidates received 34 votes each, while one deputy of the alliance of SPD, Greens, and [[Südschleswigscher Wählerverband|SSW]] abstained. An unprecedented fourth ballot brought the same result and Simonis stepped down as minister-president of Schleswig-Holstein.<ref name="NDR" />

=== After politics ===
Simonis served as chairwoman of the [[List of UNICEF national committees|German Committee for UNICEF]] from 2005 until February 2008. She resigned from this position due to a scandal related to donations to the organisation that arose during her term.<ref name="Stern" />

== Personal life and legacy ==
[[File:Ratsherrin Heide Simonis (SPD) (Kiel 50.796).jpg|thumb|upright|Simonis in 1970]]
In 1967, Simonis married {{ill|Udo E. Simonis|de}} who had studied with her.<ref name="ZDF" /><ref name="Heed" /> He became a professor of economics, with a focus on the environment.<ref name="Heed" /> Among her hobbies was [[quilt]]making.<ref name="Casdorff" />

Simonis survived breast cancer.<ref name="Casdorff" /> She announced in 2014 that she was diagnosed with [[Parkinson's disease]].<ref name="Heed" /> She died at home in [[Kiel]] on 12 July 2023, at age 80.<ref name="ZDF" /><ref name="Tagesspiegel" />

President [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]] described her as an exceptional political personality who shaped democracy beyond Schleswig-Holstein. He noted her competence, but also humanity and empathy.<ref name="FAZ" />

== Publications ==
Books by Simonis include:<ref name="fembio" />
* {{cite book | last=Simonis | first=Heide | title=Kein Blatt vorm Mund | publisher=Hoffmann Und Campe Verlag | date=1997 | isbn=3-455-11192-0 | language=de}}
* {{cite book | last=Simonis | first=Heide |author-mask=2 | title=Unter Männern | publisher=C.H.Beck | date=2003 | isbn=3-406-50959-2 | language=de}}
* {{cite book | last1=Simonis | first1=Heide |author-mask=2 | last2=Maletzke | first2=Erich | title=Ausgeteilt, eingesteckt | date=2007 | publisher=Zu Klampen! | isbn=978-3-86674-012-9 | language=de}}
* {{cite book | last1=Simonis | first1=Heide |author-mask=2 | last2=Steinhardt | first2=Dodo | last3=Steinhardt-Böttcher | first3=Barbara | title=Drei Rheintöchter | date=2008 | publisher=Bouvier | isbn=978-3-416-03234-6 | language=de}}
* {{cite book | last=Simonis | first=Heide |author-mask=2 | title=Verzockt! | date=2010 | publisher=Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht | isbn=978-3-525-30002-2 | language=de}}
* {{cite book | last=Simonis | first=Heide |author-mask=2 | title=Alles Märchen! | date=3 July 2013 | isbn=978-3-7859-1126-6 | language=de}}
* {{cite book | last=Simonis | first=Heide |author-mask=2 | title=Heringstage | date=2016 | publisher=Borbyer Werkstatt Verlag | isbn=978-3-940586-10-0 | language=de}}

==Awards==
* 2014 – Honorary citizen of [[Schleswig-Holstein]]<ref name="Heed" /><ref name="Tagesspiegel" /><ref name="DER SPIEGEL 2023 u613">{{cite web | title=Heide Simonis ist tot – Schleswig-Holstein | website=[[Der Spiegel]] | date=12 July 2023 | url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/heide-simonis-ist-tot-schleswig-holstein-a-b7ba230f-6521-4b66-a67a-65a194214663 | language=de | access-date=12 July 2023 | archive-date=20 July 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720090242/https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/heide-simonis-ist-tot-schleswig-holstein-a-b7ba230f-6521-4b66-a67a-65a194214663 | url-status=live }}</ref>
* 2018 – {{ill|Willy Brandt Medal|de|Willy-Brandt-Medaille}}<ref name="ZDF" /><ref name="Heed" />

== References ==
{{reflist
| refs =

<ref name="Casdorff">{{cite news
| last = Casdorff
| first = Stephan-Andreas
| title = Sie war auf ihre Art eine eiserne Lady
| newspaper = [[Der Tagesspiegel]]
| date = 13 July 2023
| url = https://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/nachruf-auf-heide-simonis-sie-war-auf-ihre-art-eine-eiserne-lady-10138249.html
| language = de
| access-date = 13 July 2023
| archive-date = 15 July 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230715115832/https://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/nachruf-auf-heide-simonis-sie-war-auf-ihre-art-eine-eiserne-lady-10138249.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="Heed">{{cite news
| last = Heed
| first = Levke
| title = 1993: Heide Simonis wird erste Ministerpräsidentin
| work = [[Norddeutscher Rundfunk|NDR]]
| date = 12 July 2023
| url = https://www.ndr.de/geschichte/chronologie/1993-Heide-Simonis-wird-erste-Ministerpraesidentin,simonis139.html
| language = de
| access-date = 19 July 2023
| archive-date = 1 February 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230201053132/https://www.ndr.de/geschichte/chronologie/1993-Heide-Simonis-wird-erste-Ministerpraesidentin,simonis139.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="Kampe">{{cite news
| last = Kampe
| first = Kersten
| title = Kiel hat eine Ministerpräsidentin
| newspaper = [[Die Tageszeitung|taz]]
| date = 21 May 1993
| url = https://taz.de/Kiel-hat-eine-Ministerpraesidentin/!1615499/
| language = de
| access-date = 19 July 2023
| archive-date = 20 July 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230720090223/https://taz.de/Kiel-hat-eine-Ministerpraesidentin/!1615499/
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="BR">{{cite journal
| url = https://www.br.de/fernsehen/ard-alpha/sendungen/alpha-forum/heide-simonis-sendung-100.html
| title = Ehemalige Ministerpräsidentin Schleswig-Holstein: Simonis, Heide
| journal = [[Bayerischer Rundfunk]]
| date = 8 July 2013
| language = de
| access-date = 25 July 2021
| archive-date = 25 July 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210725163331/https://www.br.de/fernsehen/ard-alpha/sendungen/alpha-forum/heide-simonis-sendung-100.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="FAZ">{{cite news
| url = https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/heide-simonis-war-eine-der-herausragendsten-frauen-der-nachkriegszeit-19029813.html
| title = "Eine der herausragendsten Frauen der Nachkriegszeit"
| newspaper = [[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung|FAZ]]
| agency = [[Deutsche Presse-Agentur|dpa]]
| date = 12 July 2023
| language = de
| access-date = 19 July 2023
| archive-date = 20 July 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230720090228/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/heide-simonis-war-eine-der-herausragendsten-frauen-der-nachkriegszeit-19029813.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="fembio">{{cite web
| url = https://www.fembio.org/english/biography.php/woman/biography/heide-simonis/
| title = Heide Simonis
| website = fembio.org
| date = 12 July 2023
| access-date = 19 July 2023
| archive-date = 2 July 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230702221636/https://www.fembio.org/english/biography.php/woman/biography/heide-simonis
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="NDR">{{cite news
| title = Ein Unbekannter stürzt Heide Simonis
| url = https://www.ndr.de/geschichte/chronologie/17-Maerz-2005-Ein-Unbekannter-stuerzt-Heide-Simonis,shministerpraesidentenwahl100.html
| access-date = 26 April 2022
| work = NDR
| language = de
| archive-date = 26 April 2022
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220426172334/https://www.ndr.de/geschichte/chronologie/17-Maerz-2005-Ein-Unbekannter-stuerzt-Heide-Simonis,shministerpraesidentenwahl100.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="Stern">{{cite news
| title = Heide Simonis tritt zurück
| newspaper = [[Der Stern]]
| date = 2 February 2008
| url = https://www.stern.de/panorama/gesellschaft/unicef-vorsitz-heide-simonis-tritt-zurueck-3219490.html
| language = de
| access-date = 25 July 2021
| archive-date = 15 December 2019
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191215170236/https://www.stern.de/panorama/gesellschaft/unicef-vorsitz-heide-simonis-tritt-zurueck-3219490.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="Tagesspiegel">{{cite web
| title = Im Alter von 80 Jahren: Schleswig-Holsteins Ex-Ministerpräsidentin Heide Simonis ist tot
| newspaper = [[Der Tagesspiegel]]
| date = 12 July 2023
| url = https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/im-alter-von-80-jahren-schleswig-holsteins-ex-ministerprasidentin-heide-simonis-ist-tot-10137550.html
| language = de
| access-date = 12 July 2023
| archive-date = 20 July 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230720090245/https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/im-alter-von-80-jahren-schleswig-holsteins-ex-ministerprasidentin-heide-simonis-ist-tot-10137550.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

<ref name="ZDF">{{cite web
| title = Heide Simonis mit 80 Jahren gestorben
| publisher = [[ZDF]]
| date = 12 July 2023
| url = https://www.zdf.de/uri/707e3281-08b5-4347-b1fd-8f9116dfccff
| language = de
| access-date = 12 July 2023
| archive-date = 20 July 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230720090229/https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/heide-simonis-tot-100.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

}}

== External links ==
* {{official|https://www.heide-simonis.de/}} {{in lang|de}}

{{Ministers-President of Schleswig-Holstein}}
{{Social Democratic Party of Germany}}
{{Members of the 10th Bundestag}}
{{Members of the 11th Bundestag}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simonis, Heide}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century German politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century German women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century German politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century German women politicians]]
[[Category:Female members of the Bundestag]]
[[Category:Members of the Bundestag for Schleswig-Holstein]]
[[Category:Members of the Bundestag for the Social Democratic Party of Germany]]
[[Category:Members of the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein]]
[[Category:Ministers of the Schleswig-Holstein State Government]]
[[Category:Minister-presidents of Schleswig-Holstein]]
[[Category:Politicians from the Rhine Province]]
[[Category:Politicians from Bonn]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 2nd Class]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class]]
[[Category:University of Erlangen–Nuremberg alumni]]
[[Category:University of Kiel alumni]]
[[Category:Women minister-presidents in Germany]]