Margot Kaessmann, Head Of German Church, Charged With Drunk Driving

Bishop Margot Kaessmann, the controversial head of Germany's Protestant Church, has been arrested for drunk driving.

Kaessmann, appointed the church's first female leader last year, was arrested in Hanover over the weekend after driving her $120,000 official limousine through a red light. Hanover state prosecutor Juergen Lendeckel told Reuters that Kaessmann was three times over the legal limit, and could lose her driver's license for a year.

"I am shocked at myself for committing such a grievous error," she told German press. "I am aware how dangerous and irresponsible it is to drink and drive. I will accept the legal consequences."

Kaessmann is head of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), an umbrella organization that unites Germany's 25 million Protestant Christians. Her election proved controversial - Kaessmann is not only the first female head of the organization and its youngest bishop, but the only divorced bishop in Germany. She has a reputation both as a modernizer and is a vocal opponent of the Afghanistan war.

Comments

[Carol Olden]

07:15 PM on 02/24/2010

Its too bad she resigned rather than just go to treatment for alcoholism, so she could be taking communion with grape juice instead of wine, like many people do, who are villified for not drinking instead of being congratulated for God saving their lives by not having them killed in a DUI-related accident.It would make for a more compassionate church by real experience of the grace of God in saving lives and bringing congregation members to salvation as mere human beings with severe medical problems , which is what alcoholic drinking is. What if she had killed herself or someone else? God's hand was there to see that she didn't.

[netzwerg]

03:37 PM on 02/24/2010

I'm german, and I think she was out with her buddy Jesus emtying a bottle of whine, and Jesus was telling her it was only water.

[NanaPokuWare]

12:32 PM on 02/24/2010

She has just resigned.
Was to be expected.
Perhaps she has a drinking problem ?

[LMPE]

06:18 PM on 02/23/2010

Those Germans love their beer!

[Kenji]

12:48 PM on 02/23/2010

She was on her way to getting a drink. I know the Brits use the term "Drinks Driving", but maybe this was just a (drunken) typo.

[Rand]

12:40 PM on 02/23/2010

As this IS a US based site, can we use the AMERICAN expression of "drunk driving", rather than the British/Irish usage?

[overcat]

12:35 PM on 02/23/2010

"Drink Driving"? Was she driving a drink? What's happened to proof reading?

[Rand]

12:43 PM on 02/23/2010

I accidentally "fanned" you and subsequently "unfanned" you. No offense intended: I'm just not familiar enough with your postings to list myself as a fan

[lenuk]

07:30 PM on 02/23/2010

"Drunk Driving"? Was she driving a drunk?