Rita Süssmuth, a prominent German politician born in 1937, was a tenacious advocate for women's rights, parity in politics, and the rights of minorities, including AIDS patients and immigrants. She joined the CDU in 1981 and quickly rose through the ranks, serving as the Federal Minister for Family Affairs from 1985 to 1988 and then as the President of the Bundestag from November 25, 1988, to October 26, 1998. Despite her initial late awakening to feminism, Süssmuth became a powerful voice, famously stating, "We must fight the disease, not the sick," during the AIDS crisis and advocating for the criminalization of marital rape. She often clashed with her party's conservative wing and Chancellor Helmut Kohl, yet remained a member of the CDU throughout her career, leaving a legacy of advocating for a more inclusive and equitable society.