Petra Kelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Petra Kelly
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Kelly in 1983
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| Leader of The Greens in the Bundestag | |
| In office 29 March 1983 – 3 April 1984 Serving with Otto Schily and Marieluise Beck
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| Chief Whip | Joschka Fischer |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Waltraud Schoppe |
| Member of the Bundestag for Bavaria |
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| In office 6 March 1983 – 2 December 1990 |
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| Constituency | The Greens List |
| Personal details | |
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Petra Karin Lehmann
29 November 1947 Günzburg, Bavaria, Germany |
| Died | 1 October 1992 (aged 44) Bonn, Germany |
| Cause of death | Murder by gunshot |
| Political party | The Greens |
| Domestic partner | Gert Bastian |
| Alma mater | American University, University of Amsterdam |
| Occupation | Activist, politician |
| Awards | Right Livelihood Award |
Petra Karin Kelly (born November 29, 1947 – died around October 1, 1992) was a German politician and activist. She was a key person in starting the German Green Party. This party was the first Green party to become well-known in Germany and worldwide.
Petra Kelly was also an ecofeminist activist. This means she believed that protecting the environment and fighting for women's rights were connected. In 1982, she won the Right Livelihood Award. This award recognized her work in bringing together ideas about protecting nature, stopping wars, making society fair, and protecting human rights.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Petra Karin Lehmann was born in 1947 in Günzburg, a town in Bavaria, Germany. At that time, Germany was divided after World War II. Her hometown was in the American Zone.
She later changed her last name to Kelly. This happened after her mother married John E. Kelly, who was an officer in the U.S. Army.
Petra went to a Catholic school in Günzburg. In 1959, her family moved to the United States. She then went to school in the states of Georgia and Virginia.
She lived and studied in the U.S. until 1970. Then, she moved back to West Germany. She always kept her West German citizenship.
Her Studies and Inspirations
Petra Kelly looked up to Martin Luther King Jr., a famous civil rights leader. She also helped with the election campaigns for Robert F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey in the 1968 U.S. elections.
She studied political science at American University in Washington, D.C.. She earned her bachelor's degree there in 1970. The next year, in 1971, she got her master's degree from the European Institute at the University of Amsterdam.
Petra Kelly's Career
From 1971 to 1983, Petra Kelly worked at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium. During this time, she was very active in many peace and environmental groups. She worked on campaigns in Germany and other countries.
After two years at the European Commission, she moved to a job at the Economic and Social Committee. Here, she became a strong supporter of women's rights.
Founding the German Green Party
Petra Kelly was one of the people who helped start Die Grünen, which is the German Green Party. This happened in 1979.
In 1983, she was elected to the Bundestag. The Bundestag is like Germany's parliament. She became a Member of the Bundestag for Bavaria. She was re-elected in 1987, getting even more votes.
Activism and Recognition
In 1981, Kelly took part in a huge protest in Bonn. About 400,000 people protested against nuclear weapons. The next year, in 1982, she edited a book called Prinzip Leben (Principle of Life). This book talked about environmental problems and the danger of nuclear war.
In the same year, she received the Right Livelihood Award. This award honored her for creating and putting into action a new way of thinking. This way of thinking connected environmental concerns with disarmament (reducing weapons), social justice (fairness for everyone), and human rights.
On May 12, 1983, Petra Kelly, along with Gert Bastian and other Green Party members, held up a banner in East Berlin. The banner said: "The Greens – Swords to Ploughshares." This phrase means turning weapons into tools for peace. They were briefly arrested but then met with people from East German opposition groups.
In October 1983, Petra Kelly met with Erich Honecker, who was the leader of East Germany. She wore a sweater with "Swords to Ploughshares" on it. She asked him to release people from the East German peace movement. She also questioned why he stopped peace efforts in East Germany but supported them in West Germany.
In 1984, Kelly wrote a book called Fighting for Hope. In this book, she called for a world without violence. She wanted peace between countries, between men and women, and between people and the environment.
Towards the end of her life, Petra Kelly felt less connected to many of her party members. The Green Party started to become more practical in its approach. However, Kelly continued to believe that the Green Party should not work with traditional political parties.
Petra Kelly's Death
On October 19, 1992, Petra Kelly and her partner, Gert Bastian, were found dead in her house in Bonn. Police found them after receiving calls because no one had heard from them for a few weeks. Petra Kelly was 44 years old.
Police believed they had died around October 1, 1992. Petra Kelly was buried in the Waldfriedhof (forest cemetery) in Würzburg, Germany.
Honors and Legacy
- 1982: She received the Right Livelihood Award.
- In 2006, the UK Environment Agency listed Petra Kelly as one of the top 50 people who have done the most to help save the planet.
See also
- List of peace activists
- In Spanish: Petra Karin Kelly para niños
