Press Release | Gütersloh, 06/03/2016

Liz Mohn Named Honorary Citizen of Gütersloh

Liz Mohn, member of the Bertelsmann Supervisory Board, has been named an honorary citizen of Gütersloh, it was announced today following a City Council meeting. By awarding Liz Mohn an honorary citizenship, the Council pays tribute to the great services she has personally rendered to the German city. The announcement states that as the widow of Bertelsmann’s postwar founder, Reinhard Mohn, she continues his life’s work in the Group. Major foundations and charity initiatives launched by Liz Mohn have their roots in Gütersloh, where the international media, services and education company Bertelsmann was founded in 1835.

Liz Mohn is the city’s first female honorary citizen; the award has been presented 17 times since 1882. In 1981, Reinhard Mohn, too, was named an honorary citizen of Gütersloh, making Liz and Reinhard Mohn the first married couple to have both received this honor.

Liz Mohn said: “Gütersloh is my home; my heart belongs to the city. I am very happy and grateful to be named an honorary citizen; the award is a great source of joy for me. I firmly believe that everyone has something to contribute to the success of the future – accordingly, it is my great privilege to continue my husband and our family’s work, now in its fifth generation. Gütersloh is always the starting and focal point of our business, social and cultural initiatives. Bertelsmann will continue its engagement in a variety of ways – both internationally and in the Gütersloh region.”

Thomas Rabe, Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “I would like to sincerely congratulate Mrs. Mohn on this award, both personally and on behalf of all Bertelsmann employees. Her commitment to Gütersloh and to Bertelsmann is unprecedented. After Reinhard Mohn, she is our company’s second personage to receive this distinction in Gütersloh. This shows how close the ties between Bertelsmann and the region are.”

In its statement, the City Council of Gütersloh cites various points for awarding Liz Mohn honorary citizenship. They include the establishment of the German Stroke Foundation in 1993, the “Neue Stimmen” international singing competition Liz Mohn initiated in 1987, and her personal commitment to various cultural and educational projects (e. g. the Liz Mohn Foundation for Culture and Music, promotion of local school libraries, sponsorship of the Gütersloh Theater building). The Council also pointed out the annual presentation of the Reinhard Mohn Prize by the Bertelsmann Foundation, which honors and highlights groundbreaking solutions to social and political challenges on an international level.

The honorary citizenship certificate will be officially presented to Liz Mohn at an extraordinary Council session in Gütersloh in the second half of 2016.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the broadcaster RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 117,000 employees and generated revenues of €17.1 billion in the 2015 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.