Born on 13 June 1949 in Aachen; one daughter
 
Since November 2005
Federal Minister for Health
 
2002 - 2005
Federal Minister for Health and Social Security
 
2001
Federal Minister for Health
 
1998 - 2001
Vice-Chairwoman of SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag for Labour and Social Affairs, Women, Family and Senior Citizens; Full Member of the Conciliation Committee, Representative of Social Democratic Party (SPD) on the ZDF Television Council
 
1991 - 1998
Chairwoman of the cross-sectional group "Equality between Men and Women" of the SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag; Vice-Member of the Conciliation Committee; Spokeswoman for the project group "Family Policy in the 21st Century"
 
1991 - 2001
Member of the Managing Executive of the SPD parliamentary group for Labour and Social Affairs, Women, Family and Senior Citizens
 
Since 1990
Member of the German Bundestag
 
1989 - 1992
Aachen Town Councillor, Spokeswoman on housing policy SPD parliamentary group in Aachen
 
Since 1983
Member of the SPD, member of the SPD Local Executive (Unterbezirksvorstand) Aachen and the Party Council (Parteirat)
 
1980 - 1990
Member of the local staff council, the district staff council and the central staff council for teachers at special schools at the office of the Minister of Cultural Affairs of the federal state (Land) North Rhine-Westphalia
 
1985 - 1990
Taught special education, rehabilitation of children with learning disabilities and children who are difficult to educate
 
1968 - 1974
Studied Psychology at RWTH Aachen University and studied the secondary school teaching profession at College of Education (Pädagogische Hochschule) in Aachen, degree qualified