# Henriette Reker

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German lawyer and politician (born 1956)

Henriette Reker Reker in 2019 Mayor of Cologne In office 20 November 2015 – 31 October 2025 Preceded by Jürgen Roters Succeeded by Torsten Burmester Personal details Born (1956-12-09) 9 December 1956 (age 69) Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany Party Independent

**Henriette Reker** (born 9 December 1956) is a German lawyer and [independent politician](/source/Independent_politician). She is known for her pro-immigration stance and for being the victim of an [assassination attempt in 2015](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Attempted_assassination_of_Henriette_Reker&action=edit&redlink=1) [[de](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attentat_auf_Henriette_Reker)]. A day after the attack, Reker was elected [mayor of Cologne](/source/List_of_mayors_of_Cologne) after gaining 52.66% of the votes,[1] becoming the first woman to hold the office. Reker was re-elected in 2020. Her term as mayor ended on 31 October 2025.

## Early life

Reker was born to Josef Reker and Gretel Martini and raised in the Cologne district of [Bickendorf](/source/Ehrenfeld%2C_Cologne). Reker's mother was a life-long member of the [SPD](/source/Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany) and moved to Cologne from [Lower Silesia](/source/Lower_Silesia) after [World War II](/source/World_War_II),[2] while her father was a [pastry chef](/source/Pastry_chef) who lived in [Vogelsang](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vogelsang,_Cologne&action=edit&redlink=1) district his whole life.[3][4]

Reker attended [Liebfrauenschule](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liebfrauenschule_K%C3%B6ln&action=edit&redlink=1) [[de](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebfrauenschule_K%C3%B6ln)], where she finished her *[Abitur](/source/Abitur)* in 1976. She studied law at the [Universities of Cologne](/source/University_of_Cologne), [Regensburg](/source/University_of_Regensburg), and [Göttingen](/source/University_of_G%C3%B6ttingen), completing her second state law examination in 1986 at District Court Münster.

Between 1990 and 1992, Reker worked as a clerk for an employers' liability insurance association in [Bielefeld](/source/Bielefeld), then as legal [counsel](/source/Counsel) for the State Association of Guild Health Insurance Funds in [Münster](/source/M%C3%BCnster) from until 2000. She gained her [admission to practice law](/source/Admission_to_practice_law) in 1996.[5]

## Political career

From 2000 until 2010, Reker served as deputy mayor for Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection of [Gelsenkirchen](/source/Gelsenkirchen). In 2010 she was appointed a mayoral deputy for social affairs, integration and the environment of the city of Cologne.

Supported by the [CDU](/source/Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany), [FDP](/source/Free_Democratic_Party_(Germany)), and [The Greens](/source/Alliance_'90%2FThe_Greens), Reker ran for [Mayor of Cologne](/source/List_of_mayors_of_Cologne) in October 2015[6] and was re-elected in September 2020.[7] At the end of January 2025, Reker announced she would not seek a third term as mayor,[8] her term as mayor ended on 31 October 2025.

### Assassination attempt

Crime scene of the attack on Reker

At a public event on 17 October 2015, the day before the mayoral election, Reker was seriously wounded when a 44-year-old German man stabbed her in the neck with a knife,[9] while shouting about an "influx of refugees".[10] Her aide was also hurt in the attack, as were three other people who had tried to subdue her attacker.[11] State prosecutors confirmed the attack to be [politically](/source/Politically) motivated,[12] after the perpetrator "confessed to having [xenophobic](/source/Xenophobia) motives at the uncontrolled influx of migrants". He was also found to have been a former associate of the [Free German Workers' Party](/source/Free_German_Workers'_Party) in the 1990s and attempted to contact the [National Democratic Party of Germany](/source/National_Democratic_Party_of_Germany) in 2008.[13] As a member of Cologne's municipal administration, Reker had been responsible for the housing and integration of [refugees](/source/Refugee).[10] Reker's main rival in the mayoral election, Social Democrat [Jochen Ott](/source/Jochen_Ott), suspended his campaign after the attack.[11] Reker won the election while remaining in the intensive care unit of a local hospital.

Federal prosecutors soon took over the case from state prosecutors in Cologne on grounds of the particularly dangerous nature of the stabbing, which came against the backdrop of a rising tide of attacks on accommodation for refugees in Germany. In late October, they charged Frank S. with [attempted murder](/source/Attempted_murder) and dangerous bodily harm. At the time, the authorities said the perpetrator was driven by his anger over Reker's work on the refugee issue. The attacker was sentenced to fourteen years in prison, with Reker recovering to testify at the trial.[14]

### New Year's Eve sexual assaults on women

Main article: [New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Germany](/source/New_Year's_Eve_sexual_assaults_in_Germany)

Reker was accused of [victim blaming](/source/Victim_blaming) following [the attacks](/source/New_Year's_Eve_sexual_assaults_in_Germany) at Cologne's 2016 New Year's Eve celebrations. She claimed that "there's always the possibility of keeping a certain distance of more than an arm's length – that is to say to make sure yourself you don't look to be too close to people who are not known to you, and to whom you don't have a trusting relationship".[15][16] Reker was condemned by [Lodewijk Asscher](/source/Lodewijk_Asscher), [Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands](/source/Deputy_Prime_Minister_of_the_Netherlands), for implying that women could have prevented the attacks against themselves.[17] Reker accused the media of taking her comments out of context: she claimed that she had only reacted to a reporter's question by quoting an existing communal guideline for safety during partying in a speech.[18]

## Other activities

### Corporate boards

- [Cologne Bonn Airport](/source/Cologne_Bonn_Airport), ex-officio member of the supervisory board

- [Koelnmesse](/source/Koelnmesse), ex-officio chairwoman of the supervisory board

- [NRW.BANK](/source/NRW.BANK), member of the advisory board

- Rheinenergie, member of the advisory board

- [RWE](/source/RWE), member of the advisory board

- [Stadtwerke Köln](/source/Stadtwerke_K%C3%B6ln), ex-officio member of the supervisory board

### Non-profit organizations

- [1. FC Köln](/source/1._FC_K%C3%B6ln), member of the advisory board (since 2019)[19]

- Theodor Heuss Foundation, member of the board of trustees (since 2019)[20]

- [Academy of Media Arts Cologne](/source/Academy_of_Media_Arts_Cologne) (KHM), member of the board of trustees[21]

- [Technical University of Cologne](/source/Technical_University_of_Cologne), member of the board of trustees

- Stiftung Lebendige Stadt, member of the board of trustees

- [German Society for Photography](/source/German_Society_for_Photography) (DGPh), member

- Kölnische Karnevalsgesellschaft, member

- [Soroptimist International](/source/Soroptimist_International) (SI), Member[22]

- Amerika Haus e.V. NRW, ex-officio member of the board of trustees

- [Stiftung Stadtgedächtnis](/source/Historical_Archive_of_the_City_of_Cologne), member of the board of trustees

- Society for Control of Common Diseases in the Ruhr District, chairwoman

- Kliniken der Stadt Köln gGmbH, member of the supervisory board (2011–2015)

- Godeshöhe Neurological Rehabilitation Center, member of the supervisory board (2011–2015)

- RehaNova Neurological and Neurosurgical Rehabilitation Clinic, member of the supervisory board (2011–2015)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** City of Cologne: [Oberbuergermeisterwahl](http://wahlen.stadt-koeln.de/prod/OB2015/05315000/html5/Oberbuergermeisterwahl_Gemeinde_Stadt_Koeln.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20151020160002/http://wahlen.stadt-koeln.de/prod/OB2015/05315000/html5/Oberbuergermeisterwahl_Gemeinde_Stadt_Koeln.html) 20 October 2015 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), retrieved 19 October 2015

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Fritzsche, Lara; Cadenbach, Christoph (2 February 2018). ["Henriette Reker und Andreas Hollstein im Interview"](https://sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de/politik/fuer-einige-monate-hatte-ich-traeume-in-denen-ich-hingerichtet-werde-86831?reduced=true). *Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin* (in German).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Porträt der Kölner OB: Wer ist Henriette Reker? – Nicht „die mit dem Attentat""](https://www.ksta.de/koeln/wer-ist-henriette-reker-ein-portraet-der-koelner-oberbuergermeisterin-252907). *Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger* (in German). 14 September 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["OB Henriette Reker vereidigt: So werde ich die Stadt umkrempeln"](https://www.bild.de/regional/koeln/henriette-reker/so-werde-ich-die-stadt-umkrempeln-43800000.bild.html). *Bild* (in German). 14 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Fünf weitere Jahre im Amt: Kölns OB Henriette Reker hat erneut Geschichte geschrieben"](https://www.ksta.de/koeln/ob-wahl-in-koeln-henriette-reker-hat-erneut-geschichte-geschrieben-210787). *Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger* (in German). 28 September 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Die Frau, die an ihrer Stadt leidet"](https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article147725247/Die-Frau-die-an-ihrer-Stadt-leidet.html) in *[Die Welt](/source/Die_Welt)*, 17 October 2015

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Stichwahl der Oberbürgermeisterin/des Oberbürgermeisters](https://wahlen.stadt-koeln.de/prod/KW2020/05315000/html5/Buergermeisterstichwahl_NRW_46_Gemeinde_Stadt_Koeln.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201125171544/https://wahlen.stadt-koeln.de/prod/KW2020/05315000/html5/Buergermeisterstichwahl_NRW_46_Gemeinde_Stadt_Koeln.html) 25 November 2020 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) in *[Stadt Köln](/source/Stadt_K%C3%B6ln)*, 27 September 2020

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Reker tritt nicht mehr an | Kölner OB: „Ich sehe eine zunehmende Verwahrlosung der Stadt""](https://www.ksta.de/koeln/ob-henriette-reker-im-interview-so-sind-die-koelner-nun-mal-952773). *Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger* (in German). 31 January 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Cologne mayoral candidate Henriette Reker seriously hurt in knife attack"](http://www.dw.com/en/cologne-mayoral-candidate-henriette-reker-seriously-hurt-in-knife-attack/a-18788390). [Deutsche Welle](/source/Deutsche_Welle). 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Independent_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Independent_10-1) Lizzie Dearden (17 October 2015). ["German mayoral candidate Henriette Reker stabbed in neck by man 'shouting about refugees' in Cologne"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/german-mayoral-candidate-henriette-reker-stabbed-in-neck-by-man-shouting-about-refugees-in-cologne-a6698061.html). *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)*. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sky_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sky_11-1) ["German Mayoral Candidate Stabbed in Neck"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151018135651/https://news.sky.com/story/1571320/german-mayoral-candidate-stabbed-in-neck). *Sky News*. 17 October 2015. Archived from [the original](http://news.sky.com/story/1571320/german-mayoral-candidate-stabbed-in-neck) on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["'Xenophobic' stabbing of Cologne mayoral candidate"](http://www.dw.com/en/xenophobic-stabbing-of-cologne-mayoral-candidate/a-18788902). [Deutsche Welle](/source/Deutsche_Welle). 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Diehl, Jörg (17 October 2015). ["Henriette Reker: Täter Frank S. hat rechtsextreme Vergangenheit"](https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/henriette-reker-taeter-frank-s-hat-rechtsextreme-vergangenheit-a-1058337.html). *Der Spiegel* (in German). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2195-1349](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2195-1349).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Wise, Peter (1 December 2015). ["German Charged in Attack on Mayoral Candidate Over Refugee Work"](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/world/europe/german-charged-in-attack-on-mayoral-candidate-over-refugee-work.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** HANNAH AL-OTHMAN. ["Cologne Mayor accused of 'victim blaming' for comments after mass sex assaults"](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/cologne-mayor-accused-of-victim-blaming-for-comments-after-mass-sex-assaults-a3149786.html). *Evening Standard*. Retrieved 7 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Twitter storm as Cologne mayor suggests women stay at 'arm's length' from strangers"](http://www.dw.com/en/twitter-storm-as-cologne-mayor-suggests-women-stay-at-arms-length-from-strangers/a-18962430). Deutsche Welle. 5 January 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Pieters, Janene (6 January 2016). ["DUTCH CABINET, MPS ANGERED BY COLOGNE MAYOR'S MASS SEX ASSAULT REMARKS"](http://www.nltimes.nl/2016/01/06/dutch-cabinet-mps-angered-by-cologne-mayors-mass-sex-assault-remarks/). *NL Times*. Retrieved 10 January 2016.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Reker defends tips for women (German)"](https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/einearmlaenge-reker-verteidigt-verhaltenstipps-fuer-frauen-14000219.html). Retrieved 6 September 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Präsidium strafft Strukturen 1. FC Köln besetzt seine Gremien neu"](https://www.ksta.de/sport/1-fc-koeln/praesidium-strafft-strukturen-1--fc-koeln-besetzt-seine-gremien-neu-33278548). *[Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger](/source/K%C3%B6lner_Stadt-Anzeiger)* (in German). 7 October 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** [Board of Trustees] Theodor Heuss Foundation.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** [Board of Trustees](https://www.khm.de/partner/) [Academy of Media Arts Cologne](/source/Academy_of_Media_Arts_Cologne).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** [Members](https://clubkoelnkolumba.soroptimist.de/ueber-uns/organisation/mitglieder/) [Soroptimist International Club Köln-Kolumba](/source/Soroptimist_International).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Henriette Reker](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Henriette_Reker).

- [Official website](http://henriette-reker.koeln) (in German and English)

- [Curriculum vitae on the website of the City of Cologne](http://www.stadt-koeln.de/service/adressen/dezernat-v-soziales-integration-und-umwelt) (in German)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States People LibraryThing Deutsche Biographie DDB

v t e Mayors of Cologne Oberbürgermeister der Stadt Köln (Lord Mayor) 1815-1933 Karl Joseph von Mylius Franz Rudolf von Monschaw Johann Adolf Steinberger Friedrich Wilhelm Gräff Hermann Joseph Stupp Alexander Bachem Hermann Heinrich Becker Friedrich von Becker Max Wallraf Konrad Adenauer 1933-1945 Günter Riesen Karl Georg Schmidt Peter Winkelnkemper Robert Brandes since 1945 Konrad Adenauer Willi Suth Hermann Pünder Ernst Schwering Robert Görlinger1 Ernst Schwering Robert Görlinger Ernst Schwering Theo Burauen John van Nes Ziegler Norbert Burger Harry Blum2 Fritz Schramma Jürgen Roters Henriette Reker Torsten Burmester 1 elected by sortition, after stand-off in city council 2 first directly elected mayor

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Henriette Reker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henriette_Reker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henriette_Reker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.