What do top triathlete Anne Haug, moderator Kai Pflaume and actor Christian Tramitz have in common? The Bavarian Order of Merit. Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) presented them with the award on Thursday in Munich. A total of 75 personalities were honored at the ceremony in the residence, including Minister of State Florian Herrmann (CSU). Not all honorees are prominent, such as Upper Bavarian Josef Stückl, who received the medal for his commitment to the acceptance of the queer community in Bavaria. “These are times of crisis when you need a compass, the ability and courage to make decisions and then have the backbone to get through things when things get difficult,” said Söder in his speech. “All of you who are being honored here have demonstrated this in different ways in your life through your work and your commitment. You are all role models in these times.”
The medalists were not only honored for their achievements, but also to encourage others that something can be done even in difficult times, it said. They would prove that with commitment you can make the world a little bit better. The Order of Merit is awarded “as a sign of honoring and grateful recognition for outstanding services to the Free State of Bavaria and the Bavarian people”, as stated in the 1957 law. It also stipulates that the number of living medal bearers is limited to 2000. Politicians and entrepreneurs are just as much among them as athletes and artists. This is the list of honorees:
Elisabeth André, Augsburg; Tobias Arlt, Piding; Susanne Arndt, Egling; Oliver Bäte, Cologne; Rita Blümel, hemlock; Regional Bishop Gisela Bornowski, Ansbach; Gudrun Brendel-Fischer, MdL, Heinersreuth; Ilse Danziger, Regensburg; Gaby Dohm, Munich; Taliso Engel, Nuremberg; Sister M. Doris Engelhard, Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg; Fredl Fesl, Pleiskirchen; Anni Friesinger-Postma, Salzburg; Enzi Fuchs, Munich; Franz Gebhardt, Nuremberg; Josef Glatz, Garmisch-Partenkirchen; Eva Gottstein, MdL, Eichstätt;
Honored: Sister M. Doris Engelhard.
(Photo: State Chancellery)
Excellent: the athlete Anni Friesinger-Postma.
(Photo: State Chancellery)
Excellent: the musician Fredl Fesl.
(Photo: State Chancellery)
Excellent: the actor Fritz Wepper.
(Photo: State Chancellery)
Julia Grossmann, Munich; Yasemin Günay, Olching; Thomas Habermann, Bad Neustadt ad Saale; Wolfram Hatz, Ruhstorf ad Rott; Anne Haug, Bayreuth; Minister of State Florian Herrmann, MdL, Freising; Brigitte Höller, Simbach a. inn; Diana Iljine, Munich; Lorenz Kalb, Nuremberg; Renate Koch, Kunreuth; Olga Kotlytska, Munich; Beatrice Kress, Waging am See; Peter Kuspert, Regensburg; Anna Lamers, Erding; Toni Lauerer, Furth im Wald; Ute Leyh, Rentweinsdorf; Irina Lindenberg-Lange, Augsburg; Willibald Löw, Reisbach; Klaus Josef Lutz, Dietramszell; Mahbuba Maqsoodi, Munich; Klaus Marshall, Kissing; Liliane Matthes, Waldbüttelbrunn; Albert Ostermaier, Munich;
Franz Xaver Peteranderl, Munich; Marlis Petersen, Xarakopio/Greece; Kai Pflaume, Grünwald; Brigadier General Michael Podzus, Veitshöchheim; Ines Procter, Leinach; Nina Ruge, Munich; Thomas Sabo, Nuremberg; Adeline Schebesch, Herzogenaurach; Karl Michael Scheufele, Diedorf; Bernhard Schlereth, Veitshöchheim; Max Schmidt, Bruck; Charles Schumann, Munich; Anton Speer, Unterammergau; Friederike Steinberger, hair; former mayor Johann Steindl, Burghausen; Ingrid Stenger, Grosswallstadt; Elisabeth Strauss, Noerdlingen; Josef Stückl, Uffing a. Staffelsee; Susanna thousand friend, Pullach; Christian Tramitz, Nuremberg; Former Minister of State Carolina Trautner, MdL, Stadtbergen; Nilufer Ulusoy, Klingenberg a. Main; Fritz Helge Voss, Velden; Frank Walthes, Neuried; Tobias Wendl, Bischofswiesen; Clemens-Martin Wendtner, Munich; Fritz Wepper, Gmund a. Tegernsee; Luitgard Wiest, Munich; Edith Wölfl, Munich; Rifat Yildiz, Goldbach; Peter Zilles, Heinersreuth; Anna Zisler, Straubing.