"I will not be bent by the party", Green politician Winfried Kretschmann has said more than once. He has never shied away from conflict when something went against his convictions. Yet, it is precisely this integrity that has made him, after 15 years as Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, perhaps the most successful Green politician of all time. His popularity easily surpasses that of his federal colleagues, and he is uniquely able to mediate between political camps, urban and rural areas, and different social classes.
Renowned journalist Dagmar Seitzer has followed Kretschmann for many years. Drawing from numerous individual conversations with him, his family, political allies, and rivals, she presents an in-depth look at the key stages of this exceptional politician's life. From his parents' escape, his youth in the K-group, and the threat of being banned from teaching due to the Radical Decree, to the founding of the Green Party in Germany, his time with Joschka Fischer in Hesse, and his rise during the Stuttgart 21 protests and the Fukushima disaster. This is a unique biography of a figure who has unconditionally dedicated his life to democracy.
