The jury for the Polish-German Prize said that the award for Süssmuth "is in recognition of her great contribution to promoting reconciliation between Germany and Poland as well as to the further development of bilateral relations in a spirit of partnership."
The jury added that "Professor Süssmuth is probably the most influential German alive in the area of our bilateral relations."
For more than half a century, "she has tirelessly worked to promote friendship between Germany and Poland, particularly as President of the German Bundestag when the division of our continent was overcome, as President of the German Institute of Polish Affairs for many years and a member of the board of the Genshagen Foundation."
Dietmar Nietan, co-chairman of the Polish-German Prize jury, said that the decision of the jury, which contains an equal number of Poles and Germans, was unanimous.
The prize was presented last Friday by Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock during a ceremony on the fringes of the Munich Security Conference.
Radosław Sikorski, Rita Süssmuth and Annalena Baerbock. Photo: Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Małgorzata Ławrowska-von Thadden, the Polish co-chair of the prize jury, praised Süssmuth "as an example of Polish–German reconciliation and cooperation."
She said that Süssmuth "took a step towards Poland when many people in the Federal Republic of Germany still found it difficult."
Even more important, Ławrowska-von Thadden added, Süssmuth "never ceased to work for the cause," as demonstrated by her efforts "to finally create a memorial in Berlin to commemorate the injustice committed by German occupiers in Poland, and to demonstrate that a united Europe speaks with one voice."
The German-Polish Prize is awarded by the governments of both countries in recognition of special services to German-Polish relations and is endowed with a financial reward of EUR 20,000, according to officials.
In 2015, the prize posthumously honoured Polish politician and Auschwitz survivor Władysław Bartoszewski, the Polish foreign ministry said.
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Source: PAP, auswaertiges-amt.de, gov.pl