Dorothee Bär

Dorothee Bär (née Mantel, born 19 April 1978 in Bamberg, Bavaria) is a German politician that has served as the National Deputy Secretary General of the Christian Social Union of Bavaria since 2009.

Early life and education

Dorothee Bär, grew up in Ebelsbach, Landkreis Haßberge where she still lives. She finished high school in Grayslake, Illinois in 1996 and Franz-Ludwig-Gymnasium in Bamberg in 1999.

She studied political science in several universities throughout Germany and received her diploma in 2005 from Otto-Suhr-Institut of the Free University of Berlin.

After her graduation, she worked as a journalist for several radio stations and newspapers.

Political career

Bär started her political career in 1996, joining the Junge Union (Junior Party of the C.S.U.), while in 1994 she became a member of the C.S.U.. In 1999, she became a member of the Board of Directors of the Junge Union for the region of Lower Franconia. From 2001 to 2003, she served as the Chairperson of the Ring of the Christian Democratic Students (R.C.D.S.) of Bavaria, while in November 2008 she was elected as the Deputy National Chairperson of the Junge Union. In February 2009, she became the National Deputy Secretary General of the C.S.U. under party chairman Horst Seehofer.

Since the 2002 national elections, Bär has been a member of the German Parliament representing the Bad Kissingen electoral district (#248) which comprises three counties: Bad Kissingen, Rhön-Grabfeld, and Haßberge. Between 2005 and 2009, Bär was a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Between 2009 and 2013, she then served on the Committee on Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth as well as on the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs.

In addition to her committee assignments, Bär is a member of the German-Korean Parliamentary Friendship Group and of the German-Swiss Parliamentary Friendship Group.

In the negotiations to form a coalition government following the 2009 federal elections, Bär was part of the CDU/CSU delegation in the working group on families, integration of immigrants and culture, led by Maria Böhmer and Hans-Joachim Otto. In the coalition talks following the 2013 federal elections, she led the working group on digital policy; her co-chair was Brigitte Zypries of the SPD.

Other activities

Corporate boards

• ÖPP Deutschland AG, Ex-officio Member of the Supervisory Board
• CNC Communications & Network Consulting, Member of the Board of Experts (2009–2013)
• Quadriga University of Applied Sciences Berlin, (2009–2013)
• Rhön-Klinikum, Member of the Advisory Board (2009–2013)
• RTL Television, Member of the Program Committee (2009–2013)

Non-profits

• University of Würzburg, Member of the Board of Trustees
• AFS Intercultural Programs - Germany, Member of the Board of Trustees
• German Academy for Literature for Children and Young Adults, Member of the Advisory Board
• Kissinger Sommer, Member of the Board of Trustees
• cnetz, Member of the Advisory Board
• Total E-Quality initiative, Member of the Board of Trustees
• Wasserwacht of the Bavarian Red Cross, Chairwoman
• Atlantik-Brücke, Member
• Federal Agency for Civic Education, Member of the Board of Trustees (2005–2009)
• German Federal Film Board (FFA), Member of the Supervisory Board (2005–2013)

Personal life

Dorothee is married to Dr. Oliver Bär and has two daughters and a son.