Heide Simonis

German politician (1943–2023)

Heide Simonis (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪdə ziˈmoːnɪs]; 4 July 1943 – 12 July 2023) was a German author and politician. She was in the Social Democratic Party (SPD). She was minister of finance in Schleswig-Holstein from 1988, until she became minister-president of Schleswig-Holstein.

Heide Simonis
Simonis in 2009
Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein
In office
19 March 1993 – 27 April 2005
DeputyClaus Möller (1993–1996), Rainder Steenblock (1996–2000), Annemarie Lütkes (2000–2005)
Preceded byBjörn Engholm
Succeeded byPeter Harry Carstensen
Deputy Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein-->
In office
10 March 1993 – 19 March 1993
Appointed byBjörn Engholm
Preceded byGünther Jansen
Succeeded byClaus Möller
Schleswig-Holstein Minister of Finance
In office
5 May 1988 – 19 March 1993
Preceded byRoger Asmussen
Succeeded byClaus Möller
Member of the Bundestag
In office
3 October 1976 – 8 June 1988
Member of the Kiel Municipal Council
In office
1971–1976
Personal details
Born
Heide Steinhardt

(1943-07-04)4 July 1943
Bonn, Germany
Died12 July 2023(2023-07-12) (aged 80)
Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Political party
CDU
CDU
Social Democratic Party (SPD)
Education

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. She served until 2005. She died on 12 July 2023, eight days after her 80th birthday.