Katharina Bartz

**Katharina Ann Bartz** (née **Schützenberger**; born 13 July 1950) is a Frankish politician who has served as the leader of the National Democratic Party since 2006, and as a National Councillor for Gortzman since 1994. Previously, Bartz was a Gortzman State Councillor from 1988 to 1994. She was the first woman to lead the National Democratic Party, and has been cited as one of the most powerful women in Frankenland each year from 2006 until the present-day.

Bartz was born in Gortzman to a well-connected political family. After completing secondary school in 1968, Bartz attended the University of Keln, graduating with a degree in economics in 1971. After graduating, Bartz worked various public sector jobs, eventually becoming a researcher at the Department of Economic Affairs and Social Welfare in 1977. Bartz left her job in 1980, in order to prioritize motherhood. She left her career as a stay-at-home mother in 1988, after being elected to the Gortzman State Council for the National Democratic Party. In 1994, Bartz stood successfully in the 1994 federal election, being elected to the National Council for Gortzman; she has subsequently been reelected in the 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 elections.

In 2006, Bartz announced her intention to run for leader of the National Democratic Party after incumbent Walter Mueller confirmed that he would be retiring from politics and stepping down as party leader. She quickly emerged as a favorite to win the election, ultimately defeating her only opponent Maximilian Denzinger by twenty-four percentage points. Following her election, Bartz became the first woman to lead the party in Frankish history, and additionally the first woman to lead one of the four largest parties in the country. Under her leadership, Bartz guided the party in a more liberal conservative direction, looking to disassociate with the national conservatives that had been a significant portion of the party since its formation in 1985. Her leadership has been contentious; while she has been regarded as one of the most powerful women in Frankish history and has seen great electoral success, her leadership has also caused two secession movements within the party, leading to the creation of the Democratic-Conservative Party in 2007 and the Federalist Party in 2009.

## Early life, education, and career

Bartz was born on 13 July 1950 in Gortzman to parents Richard (1917–2008) and Susanne Schützenberger (née *Johansen*; born 1921). Her father worked at the Department of Foreign Affairs as a foreign policy specialist, and previously had been stationed at the Frankish embassy in Vadhalle from 1943 until 1948. He met Bartz's Reshan mother while stationed there, and they returned to Frankenland together after he received a promotion in 1948. Bartz is the elder of two daughters; her younger sister is Barbara, born  (1952-09-01) 1 September 1952 (age 71).

Bartz began her education in 1956, attending a local, public primary school in Gortzman. In 1962, she enrolled in Brassard School, a private all-girls boarding school in Brassard, Aurilogne. While in school, Bartz was a gifted student who was active in a number of extracurriculars; she captained her school tennis team and was elected class president during her final year. Bartz graduated in 1968, subsequently moving to Keln to enroll in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Government at the University of Keln. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1971. After finishing her education, Bartz began working as an assistant economist at the Department of the Environment and Transportation, later being transferred to the Department of Education in 1973. In 1977, Bartz became a researcher at the Department of Economic Affairs and Social Welfare, which she later described as being her "dream job." She left the position in 1980, in order to become a stay-at-home mother.

## Personal life

In 1976, Bartz began a relationship with Frankish business executive Arne Bartz, after having been set up on a blind date by their parents. They became engaged in 1978, and married the following year in a lavish ceremony. They had two daughters together: Margaret, born  (1981-02-18) 18 February 1981 (age 42), and Nathalie, born  (1982-12-27) 27 December 1982 (age 41). Arne died in 2014, after a two-year bout with pancreatic cancer. Bartz owns an eight-bedroom estate in Döhl, Gortzman, which is valued at $7.5 million.

Bartz was born a dual citizen of Frankenland and Resha, but renounced her Reshan citizenship prior to beginning her career in elected politics in order to avoid any possible scandal. She cites both Lungarian and Reshan as being native languages to her, and is also fluent in Maldonian and Ditrovian. Bartz is an adherent of Highlands Christianity.