Anika Herberger

**Anika Maria Herberger** (née **Heinemann**; born 5 March 1967) is a Lungarian politician and social worker, who has served as Minister of Family Affairs and Minorities in the Münd cabinet since 2017. She additionally has served as Mayor of Rankbühel since 2012, and was director of the Rankbühel County Department of Children and Families from 2010 to 2012. Herberger also served as a member of the Rankbühel City Council from 2008 to 2010.

Born to a Lungarian father and Zatranian mother in the industrial town of Salzmarkt, Oderdorf (then-part of Delmenlein), Herberger grew up in a working-class family. After graduating from secondary school in 1986, Herberger enrolled in University of Oderdorf, graduating with a degree in social work in 1989. After completing her education, Herberger worked as a social worker for the state government of Oderdorf. As a social worker, Herberger focused on child welfare cases, often intervening in confirmed instances of child abuse or neglect. In 1995, Herberger left her career as a social worker in order to be a stay-at-home mother.

Herberger entered politics in 2008, after she was elected to the Rankbühel City Council on behalf of the Social Democratic Party. While a city councillor, Herberger became notable for focusing heavily on issues regarding children, specifically children living in impoverished or underprivileged households in Rankbühel. After the death of Thirza Abt, Herberger was nominated by Felix Schildhauer to serve as director of the Rankbühel County Department of Children and Families in 2010. Herberger was later selected as the Social Democratic nominee for the 2011 mayoral election in Rankbühel. She ultimately won the election in the landslide, becoming the first woman to serve as mayor of Rankbühel. She was reelected in 2015 and 2019. In 2017, she was nominated Minister of Family Affairs and Minorities by Lara Münd.

## Early life and family

Herberger was born on 5 March 1967 in Salzmarkt, Oderdorf (then-part of Delmenlein) to parents Hugo (1928–2014) and Weronika Heinemann (née *Modrzewska*; 1930–2018). Her father was Lungarian and worked as a train conductor, while her mother was born in Zatrania but came to Kolna as an infant following the 1930 invasion of Zatrania, and was a housewife. Herberger was raised in Eurean Catholicism, and was bilingual in Lungarian and Zatranian. She grew up in a working-class family, residing in a small, three-bedroom home.

Herberger is the younger of two children; her elder brother is Artur, born  (1964-11-08) 8 November 1964 (age 59). Herberger additionally has four maternal half-siblings, born from her mother's first marriage: Louis, born  (1950-01-02) 2 January 1950 (age 74), Albin, born  (1951-12-27) 27 December 1951 (age 72), Josef, born  (1954-03-19) 19 March 1954 (age 69), and Nadja, born  (1957-04-10) 10 April 1957 (age 66).

## Education and social work career

Herberger began her education in 1973, attending a local, public primary school in Salzmarkt, Oderdorf. While in primary school, Herberger aspired to became a nurse. She ultimately graduated in 1983, and subsequently enrolled in Salzmarkt Gymnasium, where she studied a social sciences program. Herberger graduated from secondary school in 1986, and afterwards enrolled in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Oderdorf, graduating with a degree in social work in 1989.

After finishing her education, Herberger began working as a social worker for the state government of Oderdorf in Rankbühel, Oderdorf. As a social worker, Herberger focused on child welfare cases, often intervening in confirmed instances of child abuse or neglect. In 1995, Herberger left her career as a social worker in order to be a stay-at-home mother.

## Political career

### Local politics

Herberger entered politics in 2008, after she was elected to the Rankbühel City Council on behalf of the Social Democratic Party. While a city councillor, Herberger became notable for focusing heavily on issues regarding children, specifically children living in impoverished or underprivileged households in Rankbühel.

After the death of Thirza Abt, Herberger was nominated by Felix Schildhauer to serve as director of the Rankbühel County Department of Children and Families in 2010. Herberger was later selected as the Social Democratic nominee for the 2011 mayoral election in Rankbühel. She ultimately won the election in the landslide, becoming the first woman to serve as mayor of Rankbühel. She was reelected in 2015 and 2019.

### Federal politics

In 2017, she was nominated Minister of Family Affairs and Minorities by Lara Münd.

## Personal life

Herberger began a relationship with Lungarian psychiatrist Karl Herberger in 1990. They became engaged in 1993, and married the following year. They had four children together: Jessica, born  (1995-07-18) 18 July 1995 (age 28), Elena, born  (1996-11-29) 29 November 1996 (age 27), Oliver, born  (1999-04-22) 22 April 1999 (age 24), and Celine, born  (2000-08-23) 23 August 2000 (age 23). She filed for divorce in 2003, citing irreconcilable differences, and the divorce was finalized the following year. She received full custody of their four children in the divorce, while her ex-husband was allowed supervised visits.

In 2011, Herberger began a relationship with Lungarian lawyer Ronald Krauss. After briefly ending their relationship in 2012, they became engaged in 2013, later marrying the following year. In 2016, they adopted an impoverished orphan from Tswana: Malia, born  (2015-09-10) 10 September 2015 (age 8). The family resides primarily in Rankbühel, Oderdorf, while Herberger also rents a one-bedroom apartment in West Munbach for her ministerial duties.