“It led to a sense of unconditional loyalty towards the family which excluded any sort of idea of fraternisation with the system.”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
Figure timeline
Joachim Gauck
Joachim Wilhelm Gauck is a German politician who served as President of Germany from 2012 to 2017. A former Lutheran pastor, he came to prominence as an anti-communist civil rights activist in East Germany.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
culture · President of Germany from 2012 to 2017 · politician · pastor · non-fiction writer · university teacher · journalist · orator · cleric · parson · Protestant theologian · also Joachim Gauck, Gauck
Born 24 January 1940 · Q2538
89 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
Photos & media
10 photos · 1 audio
🔊 How to say “Joachim Gauck”
Listen
De-Joachim Gauck
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
In the news
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Recent highlights
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
- Quote
- Title
2026· 1 entry
2025· 1 entry
NDTV: Joachim Gauck
- #news
- #headline
2022· 2 entries
Awarded Point Alpha Prize (2022).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Gauck criticised Germany's policies towards Russia in the period after the Cold War, and said that "we should have listened to the voices of our eastern neighbours – Poles and the Baltic states as well as our Atlantic fr
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2020· 1 entry
Awarded Franz Werfel Human Rights Award (2020).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2018· 6 entries
Awarded Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross presented by Andrej Kiska (2018).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Won Wilhelm Leuschner Medal (2018).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #trophy
- #achievement
Awarded Winfried Award (2018).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded European handicraft prize (2018).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Won: Slovakia (March 2018).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Awarded Reinhard Mohn Prize presented by Bertelsmann Stiftung (2018).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2017· 8 entries
Awarded honorary doctor of the University of Münster (2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded honorary doctorate presented by Maastricht University (2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Won: Netherlands (February 2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Awarded Dr. Leopold Lucas Prize (2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Ewald von Kleist Prize (2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded doctor honoris causa from the Paris-Sorbonne University (2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Won award: Netherlands (2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #individual
- #accolade
Won: Ukraine (August 2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
2016· 6 entries
Won: Belgium (March 2016).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Sweden (October 2016).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Awarded Order of Stara Planina (2016).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Won: Romania (June 2016).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Bulgaria (June 2016).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Chile (2016).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
2015· 8 entries
Awarded honorary doctor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Won: Malta (April 2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Peru (March 2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: United Kingdom (June 2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Slovenia (2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won award: Ireland (July 2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #individual
- #accolade
Awarded Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Sun of Peru (2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2014· 7 entries
Won Leo-Baeck-Medal (2014).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #trophy
- #achievement
Won: Czech Republic (May 2014).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Awarded Decoration for Exceptional Merits (2014).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (2014).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Won: Norway (June 2014).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Yahoo: Greek president presses Germany's Gauck on WWII
- #news
- #headline
Boycotted the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in order to make a statement against violations of human rights in Russia
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2013· 7 entries
Won: Latvia (July 2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Estonia (July 2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: France (September 2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Iceland (June 2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Italy (February 2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Won: Lithuania (July 2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Awarded Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2012· 9 entries
Won: Monaco (July 2012).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Awarded Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2012).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Won: Luxembourg (April 2012).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #honour
- #club
- #accolade
Christian Science Monitor: East Germans unite: Joachim Gauck elected president
- #news
- #headline
Wales Online: Joachim Gauck set to become president of Germany
- #news
- #headline
Gauck said that "Muslims who are living here are a part of Germany"; he refused to say whether Islam was a part of Germany, as asserted by the previous president Christian Wulff
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
“Muslims who are living here are a part of Germany”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“s violations of human rights and harassment of the opposition. Gauck, a former Lutheran pastor who played a key part in the East German protest movement before the fall of the Berlin Wall, has declined any official visits to Russia since coming to office in March 2012 and repeatedly criticised the country”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
Career landmark: president of Germany (2012–2017).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
2011· 1 entry
Awarded Ludwig-Börne-Preis (2011).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2010· 4 entries
Awarded Geschwister-Scholl-Preis (2010).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Said that SPD politician Thilo Sarrazin had "demonstrated courage" in opening a debate on immigration
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Gauck criticised the political left for ignoring Communist crimes
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Gauck was praised by Angela Merkel as a "true teacher of democracy" and a "tireless advocate of freedom, democracy and justice"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2007· 3 entries
“we have to delegitimatise [the Communist era] not only because of the many victims and criminal acts, but [also because] modern politics in the entire Soviet empire was basically taken backward.”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
Gauck said that "we have to delegitimatise [the Communist era] not only because of the many victims and criminal acts, but [also because] modern politics in the entire Soviet empire was basically taken backward
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Gauck was invited to deliver the main speech during a commemoration ceremony at the Landtag of Saxony in memory of the reunification of Germany and the fall of the Communist government
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2005· 2 entries
Awarded Heinz Herbert Karry Award (2005).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded honorary doctor of the University of Augsburg presented by Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences (2005).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2004· 1 entry
Before the leaders of the parties agreed on Horst Köhler
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2003· 1 entry
Awarded Courage Award (2003).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2001· 2 entries
Awarded honorary doctor of the University of Jena (2001).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Erich-Kästner award (2001).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2000· 2 entries
Awarded Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2000).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Cicero Orator Prize (2000).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1999· 1 entry
And his name was also mentioned as a possible candidate for CDU/CSU and Free Democratic Party in subsequent years
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1997· 1 entry
Awarded Hannah Arendt Prize (1997).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1995· 1 entry
Awarded Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1995).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1992· 1 entry
His office became known as the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1991· 2 entries
Won Theodor Heuss Medal (1991).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #trophy
- #achievement
Gauck married Gerhild "Hansi" Gauck (née Radtke), his childhood sweetheart whom he met at age ten; the couple has been separated since 1991.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #life
- #personal-life
1990· 4 entries
Career landmark: Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records (1990–2000).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
But served for only one day before becoming the first Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Career landmark: member of the Volkskammer (1990–1990).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
Career landmark: member of the German Bundestag (1990–1990).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
1989· 1 entry
Gauck was a co-founder of the New Forum opposition movement in East Germany
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1987· 1 entry
Studied medicine in West Germany and became a physician
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1959· 1 entry
At 19, despite his father's opposition, and have four children: sons Christian (born 1960) and Martin (born 1962), and daughters Gesine (born 1966) and Katharina (born 1979)
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1955· 1 entry
Following the state visit of Konrad Adenauer to Moscow
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1951· 1 entry
His father was arrested by Soviet occupation forces; he was not to return until 1955
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1940· 1 entry
Born 1940-01-24.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #birth
1914· 1 entry
During World War I by laying the first stone of a memorial in Hartmannswillerkopf, for French and German soldiers killed in the war
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event