- born 17th February 1942 in Lauban (Silesia); catholic; married; three daughters, three grandchildren
- Secondary School, professional training as an electrician in Genthin, Abitur at the Adult Education School
- 1963-1965 co-worker in the Pastoral Department of Catholic Church in Magdeburg
- 1965-1969 study on the German College of Cinematic Art in Potsdam-Babelsberg
- 1969-1990 director in the DEFA studio for documentary films, Berlin
- 1989 co-founder and speaker for the German citizen movement Demokratie Jetzt (Democracy Now)
- 1989/90 representative of Demokratie Jetzt on the Round Table; Member of Volkskammer (former East-German parliament)
- 1990-1994 Member of German Bundestag for Alliance 90/Greens
- since 1995 free-lance Author and Publicist
Further biographical sources (in German)