We are proud to inform you that the Polish-German Prize Committee, composed of members appointed by the foreign ministers of Poland and Germany, has decided to honor Professor Rita Süssmuth, Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Rzeszów, in recognition of her lifetime achievements in fostering Polish-German relations. The award was presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Radosław Sikorski, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, on February 14th, during the Munich Security Conference.

The jury stated that Rita Süssmuth is "probably the most influential living German personality in our bilateral relations. For over half a century, she has tirelessly worked for the friendship between Germany and Poland, especially as the President of the German Bundestag during the times when the division of our continent was overcome. Professor Süssmuth is also the honorary chairwoman of the German-Polish Institute and a board member of the Genshagen Foundation, a federal and state foundation promoting German-Polish and German-French relations."

The Polish-German Prize was established "for outstanding contributions to the development of Polish-German relations" based on the Treaty of Good Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between the Republic of Poland and the Federal Republic of Germany, signed on June 17, 1991. In addition to its prestigious nature, the Prize also includes a financial component provided by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Poland and Germany. The previous laureate was Władysław Bartoszewski, who was posthumously honored by the Committee in 2015.

fot. Jan Voth

Professor Rita Süssmuth received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Rzeszów in 2018. Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth studied Romance studies and history in Münster, Tübingen, and Paris. As a professor, she lectured in Bochum and Dortmund. In 1985, she was appointed Minister for Youth, Family, and Health (from 1986 also for Women). She was a member (1987-2002) and President (1988-1998) of the Bundestag. In 2007, she received the Theodor Heuss Prize for her pioneering contributions to the integration of Muslims and migrants. Since 2005, she has been the chairwoman of the German-Polish Institute. In 2008, she assumed the role of chairwoman of the board of the German-Polish Science Foundation. Since 2006, she has been a member of the convention of the Technical University of Berlin, which she has chaired since 2010.