Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Petra Kelly

Role / Field:

Founding German Green Party politician and ecofeminist activist.

Born:

1947-11-29

Died:

1992-10-01

Century / Era:

1947s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Petra Karin Kelly (29 November 1947 – c. 1 October 1992) was a German Green politician and ecofeminist activist. She was a founding member of the German Green Party, the first Green party to rise to prominence both nationally in Germany and worldwide. In 1982, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for "forging and implementing a new vision uniting ecological concerns with disarmament, social justice and human rights." Petra Karin Lehmann was born in Günzburg, Bavaria in 1947.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

She changed her name to Kelly after her mother married John E. Kelly, a US Army officer. She was educated in a Catholic convent in Günzburg and later attended school in Georgia and Virginia after her family relocated to the United States in 1959. She lived and studied in the United States until her return to West Germany in 1970. She retained her West German citizenship throughout her life.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Kelly admired Martin Luther King Jr., and campaigned for Robert F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey in the 1968 U.S. elections. She studied political science at the School of International Service at American University (Washington, D.C.), from which she graduated in 1970 with a bachelor's degree...

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• Abby Stein — Shared historical date (10-01 · Born) (1991): Israeli-American author, rabbi, and activist who speaks on faith and gender identity.
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• 1947 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1947
• November 29 (11-29) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 29
• 1992 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1992
• October 1 (10-01) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 1

Frequently Asked Questions about Petra Kelly