Gertrud Höhler
Credentials
- Dr. phil., University of Mannheim (1967).1“Biography Prof. Dr. Gertrud Höhler,” Fairness Stiftung. Accessed November, 2012. 2“Gertrud Höhler PROF., DR. PHIL.”, Wirtschafts Woche. Accessed November 25, 2012.
Background
Gertrud Höhler is a German literary critic, journalist and corporate consultant as well as an outspoken Christian Democrat and past advisor to Chancellor Helmut Kohl. She is also on the boards of a number of major Swiss and German companies. She has also done work for radio, television, newspapers and magazines, and has received a number of awards.3Tony Paterson. “Merkel accused of being ‘female Don Corleone’,” The Independent, September 9, 2012.
She studied literature and art history in Bonn, Berlin, Zurich and Mannheim from 1960 to 1966. She attained a Doctorate (Dr. phil.) at the University of Mannheim. From 1972 to 1993 she was a professor of German studies and General Literature at the University of Paderborn. She was later elected to the University Council of the University of Paderborn, but was forced to resign from this position after the allegation that she had deliberately rented offices to a state representative of the NPD (National Democratic Party of Germany).4“Senate of the University of Paderborn chose on Wednesday, 25.4.2007, University Council – the first university in NRW with a new body – the future, the university conducts a Bureau” (Press Release), University of Paderborn, April 24, 2007. 5“Gertrud Höhler: The third version of the truth”, FOCUS online, June 24, 2007. 6“Rent to NPD: Earlier Kohl consultant Höhler to go,” Spiegel Online, June 30, 2007. 7“Rent to NPD: ex Kohl consultant Höhler under pressure,” Spiegel Online, June 22, 2007.
Höhler has held a number of other positions, including public relations consulting for Dr. Alfred Herrhausen and as CEO of Deutsche Bank AG from 1987 to 1990. From 1992 to 1995 she was the Non-executive Director at the British food conglomerate Grand Metropolitan PLC. Between 1997 and 2008, Gertrud was Director of CIBA Specialty Chemicals, Basel. She has also been director of Baloise Insurance since 1998, and a Director of Georg Fischer AG, Schaffhausen.8“Biography Prof. Dr. Gertrud Höhler,” Fairness Stiftung. Accessed November, 2012.
CIBA Specialty Chemicals is a chemical company based in Basel, Switzerland. CIBA stood for “Chemische Industrie Basel” or Chemical Industries Basel, and was originally formed as the non-pharmaceutical element of Novartis. In 2008, CIBA was taken over by the German Chemical company BASF and eventually renamed BASF Schweiz AG. Höhler ended her term as director (PDF) in the same year.9“UNTERNEHMENSFÜHRUNG – CORPORATE GOVERNANCE,” Ciba Spezialitätenchemie Holding AG (PDF – Page 48). Retrieved from BASF.com.
Stance on Climate Change
[Pending further investigation.]
Key Quotes
[Pending further investigation.]
Key Deeds
November/December 2012
Gertrud Höhler was an attendee (PDF) at the Eighth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-8)/Fifth International Conference on Climate and Energy (ICCE-5) sponsored by both the Heartland Institute and the European Institute for Climate and Energy (EIKE). Höhler delivered a Dinner Speech following a presentation by Klaus Angerer.10“8th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-8): V International Conference on Climate and Energy (ICCE-5). Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich, November 30 – December 1, 2012” (PDF) retrieved from eike-klima-energy.eu on November 24, 2012.
August 2012
Höhler is well-known for her recent book “Die Patin: Wie Merkel Deutschland umbaut – The Godmother: How Merkel Is Reconstructing Germany,” which portrays Angela Merkel as having “left the path of democracy” and as being Germany’s new dictator. “That woman,” Höhler maintained at a press conference to launch her book, “has already installed an autocratic regime.” Many members of the German media viewed Höhler’s accusations as inappropriate.11“The Godmother: Germany’s New Dictator, Angela Merkel?”, Gatestone Institute, September 6, 2012. 12Tony Paterson. “Merkel accused of being ‘female Don Corleone’,” The Independent, September 9, 2012. 13“Der ESM wird von ‹Paten› gesteuert,” Basler Zeitung, September 13, 2012.
Affiliations
- CIBA Specialty Chemicals/BASF Schweiz AG — Director, 1997 – 2008 (PDF).
- Volkswagen — Past Communications Consultant.14“VW: A lot of trouble because of Ms. Hohler,” Der Spiegel, October 2, 1989.
According to her biography at the Fairness Foundation, Gertrud Höhler also has the following memberships:
- Advisory Council of Defense for matters of internal leadership (1986 1993)
- Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study in Berlin
- Board of the German Foundation for Monument Protection (1990 1999)
- Trustees and Staff College Baden Württemberg
- Trustees of the University of Witten-Herdecke
- Trustees of the Forum for Germany (1989 1993)
- Senate of the Fraunhofer Society (1989 1995)
- Advisory Council to the Minister of Research and Technology (1990 1993)
- Board of Trustees Luftbrückendank Berlin (1990 1994)
- Board of Trustees “lovable old trees in Germany”
- Trustees AIESEC Paderborn
- Board of SMG
- Swiss Management Company, Zurich (1992 2000)
- Trustees UP initiative Jungendpresse eV
- Trustees AUDIMAX (academic journal)
- Trustees Red Sea Festival, Israel
- External Advisory Board of tecis Holding Aktiengesellschaft
- Trustees of the RTL Foundation “Helping Children”
- Trustees ECLA European College of Liberal Aris
- Trustees TOTAL E = QUALITY Germany eV
- Advisory Board at the National Sports Federation Berlin
Publications
A list of Gertrud Höhler’s books is available here.
Other Resources
- “Gertrud Höhler,” de.Wikipedia.
Resources
- 1“Biography Prof. Dr. Gertrud Höhler,” Fairness Stiftung. Accessed November, 2012.
- 2“Gertrud Höhler PROF., DR. PHIL.”, Wirtschafts Woche. Accessed November 25, 2012.
- 3Tony Paterson. “Merkel accused of being ‘female Don Corleone’,” The Independent, September 9, 2012.
- 4“Senate of the University of Paderborn chose on Wednesday, 25.4.2007, University Council – the first university in NRW with a new body – the future, the university conducts a Bureau” (Press Release), University of Paderborn, April 24, 2007.
- 5“Gertrud Höhler: The third version of the truth”, FOCUS online, June 24, 2007.
- 6“Rent to NPD: Earlier Kohl consultant Höhler to go,” Spiegel Online, June 30, 2007.
- 7“Rent to NPD: ex Kohl consultant Höhler under pressure,” Spiegel Online, June 22, 2007.
- 8“Biography Prof. Dr. Gertrud Höhler,” Fairness Stiftung. Accessed November, 2012.
- 9“UNTERNEHMENSFÜHRUNG – CORPORATE GOVERNANCE,” Ciba Spezialitätenchemie Holding AG (PDF – Page 48). Retrieved from BASF.com.
- 10“8th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-8): V International Conference on Climate and Energy (ICCE-5). Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich, November 30 – December 1, 2012” (PDF) retrieved from eike-klima-energy.eu on November 24, 2012.
- 11“The Godmother: Germany’s New Dictator, Angela Merkel?”, Gatestone Institute, September 6, 2012.
- 12Tony Paterson. “Merkel accused of being ‘female Don Corleone’,” The Independent, September 9, 2012.
- 13“Der ESM wird von ‹Paten› gesteuert,” Basler Zeitung, September 13, 2012.
- 14“VW: A lot of trouble because of Ms. Hohler,” Der Spiegel, October 2, 1989.
