The German parliament welcomed its first deaf deputy today, Thursday, marking the moment as "historic," according to the council's president. Haike Hübner (44 years old) narrowly missed a seat in the Bundestag during the 2021 German elections. However, she joined the Bundestag this week as a substitute for Uli Grötz, a fellow member from the center-left Social Democratic Party, which is led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz from Bavaria, who took on the newly created role of independent police commissioner.
Hübner, who has a background as an industrial manager, was greeted with applause and hand waves from her fellow legislators. Parliament President Barbel Bas stated, "Today we are indeed writing history, if I may say so... we have the first deaf deputy who will work here in her constituency."
According to the German news agency, a sign language interpreter stood beside the podium to translate for Hübner when she first took her place in the front row. She later moved to a row at the back, where two interpreters were seated in front of her to relay speeches. Hübner will have a permanent place in the general hall, unlike most other legislators, as indicated by the Bundestag administration, with interpreters close to her to translate speeches and her questions. When she delivers speeches herself, the interpreter holding the microphone will have a place next to the shorthand writers in the Bundestag to translate for other legislators.
