- Heike Heubach became the first deaf member of the German parliament.
- She replaced Uli Grech, a member of the Social Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Olaf Scholz from Bavaria.
- Heubach, who has a background in industrial management, was welcomed with applause and a show of hands by his fellow senators.
On Thursday, Germany’s parliament welcomed its first deaf lawmaker, replacing her in a moment the speaker of the lower house described as historic.
Heike Heubach, 44, narrowly lost his seat in the Bundestag in the 2021 German elections. But she joined parliament this week, replacing Uli Grech from Bavaria, a fellow member of Prime Minister Olaf Scholz’s centre-left Social Democratic Party. He took up the newly created position of independent commissioner for police affairs.
Heubach, who has a background as an industrial executive, was welcomed with applause and waves from his fellow senators.
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“Today, we can actually say that we are writing history,” Babel Basu told parliament. “We have the first Deaf MP to serve in this district.”
Heike Heubach speaks at the opening of the weekly parliamentary group meeting in Germany on March 19, 2024. (Michael Kapeler/Photo in association with Getty Images)
According to German news agency dpa, when Heubach first sat in the front row, a sign language interpreter was standing next to the podium to translate for him. She then moved to a row further back and two interpreters sat in front of her to deliver her speech.
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Unlike most other lawmakers, Heubach will have a fixed position in the chamber and an interpreter will be placed near her to interpret speeches and questions, according to Congressional officials. When she gives her own speech, her microphone-wielding interpreter will sit next to the Capitol stenographer and translate for other members.
