Born in Luckenwalde
16 July, in the GDR's Bezirk Potsdam, about 50 km south of Berlin. Her mother is a chemist and her father a chemical engineer.
Early life23Policy & Archive · Chronology
1973 → 2026
Fifty-three years in seven eras: a childhood in the GDR, a chemistry degree, seventeen years in the Bundestag, five as a state secretary, a decade in the energy industry and, since May 2025, the economics and energy ministry. Scroll sideways, or jump to an era.
- Eras
- 7
- Dated events
- 48
- Status
- As of October 2026
Illustrated timeline
Saffron markers indicate key events
-
Early life
1973 1989 The Wall falls
She is 16 in November 1989 and finishes school in reunified Germany.
Growing up in the GDR1992 -
Education
1992 1995 Clarkson University
Research assistant at the Institute of Chemistry and Biology, Potsdam, New York.
Studies abroad1997 Diplom-Chemikerin
Graduates with the top grade of 1.0 after two research stays at the University of Turku, Finland. Then research associate in Potsdam until 1998.
The scientific background -
Political beginnings
1992 RCDS and Junge Union
Founding member of the Christian Democratic student group at Potsdam university; joins the Junge Union and its Brandenburg executive.
Political beginnings1996 1998 Into the Bundestag at 25
Stands in Potsdam on 27 September and enters parliament on 26 October via the Brandenburg list.
Bundestag -
Bundestag
2000 CDU federal executive
Elected to the party's Bundesvorstand, where she sits until 2010 and again from 2014 to 2016.
CDU career2002 Stem-cell motion
Co-sponsors, with Schäuble, Süssmuth and Pflüger, the most permissive motion on importing embryonic stem cells.
Parliamentary work2002 Stoiber's campaign team
Named in July; "family" is removed from her brief after church objections.
The controversy2005 Deputy group chair
After chairing the group's education and research working group from 2002, she becomes deputy chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in late 2005.
Bundestag2008 -
Government
2009 State secretary, environment
Parliamentary State Secretary under Norbert Röttgen, later Peter Altmaier.
Federal government2011 Delhi consultations
Takes part in the first German-Indian government consultations in May.
International2011 Votes for the nuclear exit
On 30 June, after Fukushima, votes for ending nuclear power by 2022, having backed lifetime extensions in 2010.
Energy policy2012 Defends the solar cut
On 9 March argues in the Bundestag that solar cannot be fed permanently by subsidies.
Case study2012 Civil partnerships row
An August article in Bild opposing equal status draws a storm of criticism.
Controversies2013 Wins Potsdam directly
On 22 September takes the constituency with 32.6 per cent, 730 votes ahead of the SPD.
Bundestag2013 To the transport ministry
State secretary under Alexander Dobrindt, formally from 17 December: road safety, electromobility, eastern states.
Federal government -
Industry
2015 Chief executive, VKU
Elected in February, which sparks a debate on cooling-off periods. Takes office on 1 September and leaves the Bundestag on 4 September.
The cooling-off debate2016 President of CEEP
Leads the European public-services employers' association until 2019. In December loses her seat on the CDU executive.
Professional career2018 Coal commission
Member of the federal commission that recommends ending coal power by 2038.
Professional career2020 CEO of Westenergie
From 1 January heads E.ON's largest subsidiary, a major grid operator based in Essen.
Professional career2020 2021 "The rest of the world isn't sleeping"
In March the council criticises slow implementation of the hydrogen strategy.
Case study2023 2025 -
Minister
2025 Federal minister
Presented by Friedrich Merz on 28 April; sworn in on 6 May as Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, succeeding Robert Habeck.
The ministry2025 2025 
At a meeting with an Emirati delegation. UAE business council
With Sultan Al Jaber, witnesses the launch of a UAE-Germany Business Council in Berlin in July.
Partners2025 "Work more and longer"
Pension remarks in a FAZ interview, reported 25 July, cause a row.
Controversies2025 Compliance answers
On 4 August the government answers the Greens on her disclosures (Drucksache 21/1136).
Controversies2025 The reality check
Presents the energy-transition monitoring report and a ten-point plan on 15 September.
Case study2025 2025 2026 Price relief begins
From 1 January: no gas storage levy, €6.5 bn grid-fee subsidy, lower electricity tax for industry.
Case study2026 2026 
Shaking hands with an Italian counterpart in front of Italian, EU and German flags. Europe's gas rules
The EU ban on Russian gas imports enters into force on 3 February.
Europe2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 Two laws in two days
The capacity law passes the Bundestag on 9 July and the heating law on 10 July.
Case study2026 EEG reform in cabinet
The end of fixed tariffs for new rooftop solar is adopted with the grid package, 29 July.
Case study2026 2026 Kyiv again; a court motion
Talks in Ukraine reported on 5 October; Die Linke's motion at the Constitutional Court is pending.
Controversies
Year by year
The same record, as text
A compact listing of every year with a documented event, for reading, printing and screen readers. Dates follow official CVs and the sources listed below.
- 1973
- Born 16 July in Luckenwalde, Bezirk Potsdam, GDR.
- 1989
- Aged 16 at the fall of the Berlin Wall.
- 1992
- Abitur in Luckenwalde; begins chemistry at the University of Potsdam; co-founds the RCDS group there; joins the Junge Union.
- 1995
- Research assistant at Clarkson University, USA.
- 1996
- Joins the CDU.
- 1997
- Research stays at the University of Turku; graduates as Diplom-Chemikerin (1.0); research associate in Potsdam.
- 1998
- Enters the Bundestag on 26 October, aged 25, via the Brandenburg list.
- 2000
- Elected to the CDU federal executive (to 2010).
- 2002
- Stem-cell motion; member of Stoiber's campaign team (July); second daughter born 26 August; chairs the CDU/CSU working group on education and research (to 2005).
- 2003
- Marries Sven Petke.
- 2005
- Deputy chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group (to 2009).
- 2008
- Elected chair of the CDU Potsdam district association on 8 July.
- 2009
- Parliamentary State Secretary at the environment ministry from late October.
- 2010
- Votes for nuclear lifetime extension (autumn).
- 2011
- German-Indian government consultations in Delhi (May); votes for the nuclear phase-out on 30 June.
- 2012
- Defends solar support cuts in the Bundestag (9 March); civil partnerships article (August); wins the CDU nomination for Potsdam against Saskia Ludwig (October).
- 2013
- Wins the Potsdam constituency directly (22 September); state secretary at the transport ministry (formally from 17 December).
- 2014
- Returns to the CDU federal executive (to 2016).
- 2015
- Elected VKU chief executive (February); successor at the ministry appointed 11 February; takes up the VKU post 1 September; leaves the Bundestag 4 September.
- 2016
- President of CEEP (June, to 2019); not re-elected to the CDU federal executive (December).
- 2018
- Member of the coal commission (June 2018 – January 2019).
- 2019
- Announces her move to E.ON (September).
- 2020
- CEO of Westenergie (1 January); chair of the National Hydrogen Council (from June/July).
- 2021
- Hydrogen council criticises slow implementation (March); Mestemacher Prize "Managerin des Jahres".
- 2023
- Joins the Schaeffler supervisory board (20 April).
- 2025
- Honorary professorship at MCI (April); presented as minister-designate (28 April); sworn in (6 May); Washington (June); UAE business council launch (July); working-time row (July); Drucksache 21/1136 (4 August); monitoring report (15 September); Goyal in Berlin and Kyiv visit (23–24 October); CCS law in force (28 November).
- 2026
- Price relief in force (1 January); EU power-plant agreement (15 January); Russian gas ban in force (3 February); Munich Security Conference and IEA ministerial (February); CERAWeek (March); fuel-price law (1 April); industrial electricity price approved (16 April); China (May); Türkiye (June); capacity and heating laws passed (9–10 July); EEG reform in cabinet (29 July); EU approves up to €35 bn (2 September); first auction closes (8 September); Ukraine visit and court motion (October).
Sources
- Bundesregierung — Lebenslauf Katherina Reiche
- Deutscher Bundestag — Biography, 18th term (archive)
- VKU — CV, March 2019 (PDF)
- BMVI — CV (2014, archived)
- German Wikipedia — Katherina Reiche
- Wahlkreis 61 — constituency results
- Der Spiegel, 1 Jul 2002
- Handelsblatt, 19 Oct 2012 — Nomination for Potsdam
- Deutscher Bundestag, 9 Mar 2012 — Solar debate
- PNN, 7 Dec 2016 — CDU executive vote
- ZfK, 17 Sep 2019 — Move to E.ON
- ZfK, 9 Jul 2020 — Hydrogen council chair
- MCI Innsbruck, 8 May 2025
- Tagesschau, 28 Apr 2025 — Cabinet nominations
- WAM — UAE-Germany Business Council
- Drucksache 21/1136 (PDF)
- pv magazine, 15 Sep 2025 — Monitoring report
- Federal Government — Energy price relief
- pv magazine, 9 Jul 2026 — Capacity law
- pv magazine, 10 Jul 2026 — Heating law passed
- t-online, 5 Oct 2026 — Court motion