Bundestag Elects Woman Speaker to Replace Jenninger

The West German Parliament today elected Rita Suessmuth as Speaker to replace Philipp Jenninger, who resigned in an international uproar over his speech marking the 50th anniversary of a notorious Nazi pogrom.

Suessmuth, 51, Christian Democrat Health Minister since 1985 and one of West Germany’s most popular politicians, received wide bipartisan backing in being elevated to the Speaker’s post by a 380-72 vote with 21 abstentions.

As Bundestag Speaker, Suessmuth will shoulder the task of rebuilding the battered image of Bonn’s second-highest protocol office in the wake of Jenninger’s address.

Jenninger, 56, quit Nov. 11, a day after his Kristallnacht (night of broken glass) commemoration speech was denounced for insensitivity. He had said Germans viewed Hitler as a savior when he took power and that many felt Jews deserved to be “put in their place.”