Rosel Walther

Walther was born in Landsberg an der Warthe, Brandenburg, in 1928. She was a teacher in her early life. She studied at the Deutsche Akademie für Staats- und Rechtswissenschaft [de].^[1]

In 1949 Walther joined the National Democratic Party of Germany (NDPD). She held leadership positions in the party; including as member of the executive board, director of the party academy, and vice chairperson of the NDPD parliamentary group.^[2] In 1964–1969 Walther was a leader of the Democratic Women's League of Germany. She was a member of the World Peace Council and the Peace Council of the GDR [de].^[1]

Walther was a member of the Volkskammer in 1950–1958 and 1967–1990. In 1971 she also became a member of the State Council, the GDR's collective head of state, until 1989.^[2] She retired after the Peaceful Revolution but remained a member of the Association of Free Democrats, which merged with the Free Democratic Party.^[1]

Walther received the Medal of Merit of the GDR [de] in 1959, the Patriotic Order of Merit in bronze and silver, and the Banner of Labor.^[2]