pme founder Gisela Erler receives Cross of Merit on Ribbon
(Munich, April 30, 2025) - Gisela Erler, founder of pme Familienservice and former State Councillor in Baden-Württemberg, receives the prestigious Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Cross of Merit on Ribbon, from Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger. Photo ©StMWi/Meinl
At a ceremony held yesterday afternoon at the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, Minister of State Hubert Aiwanger presented Gisela Erler with the Cross of Merit and paid tribute to her decades of personal commitment to society.
"As an entrepreneur, politician and researcher, Ms. Erler has been a strong advocate for a fair and equal society. She has also provided important impetus as an author - particularly with regard to the compatibility of family and career. She is considered a pioneer in the field of 'work-life balance'," said Aiwanger.
Gisela Erler was honored to receive the award and is optimistic about the future:
"I hope that what we have achieved in the world of work and in society as a whole will not be lost in these turbulent times and that companies will continue to stick to supporting their employees in achieving a work-life balance. So much has been achieved in recent years in terms of gender equality and fairness. I very much hope that this will be maintained in companies and in society."
About Gisela Erler
Gisela Erler, daughter of the well-known politician Fritz Erler, was politically influenced from an early age. Women's rights in particular were always an important concern for her.
In 1967, she co-founded the alternative book publishing houses "Trikont" and "Frauenoffensive", and has been a member of the Green Party since the early 1980s.
In 1987 , she published the much-discussed thesis paper "Mothers' Manifesto" together with other women and the pamphlet "Mothers to Power".
Her political commitment has shaped Gisela Erler in all phases of her life up to the present day - also professionally. The German scholar and sociologist researched gender roles, family and career at the German Youth Institute.
During a research stay in the USA in the early 1980s, she familiarized herself with the topic of work-life balance.
Impressed by the American "Childcare and Referral Systems", she founded Kinderbüro in 1992, which was later renamed pme Familienservice . Within a few years, the company developed from a small start-up into a large enterprise.
In 2008 , Gisela Erler handed over the management of the company to Alexa Ahmad.
In 2012, she published the book "Schluss mit der Umerziehung! Vom artgerechten Umgang mit den Geschlechtern" (Heyne).
From 2011 to 2021 , Gisela Erler was State Councillor for Civil Society and Civic Participation in the Green-Red state government of Baden-Württemberg.
In 2024, her latest book "Demokratie in stürmischen Zeiten: Für eine Politik des Gehörtwerdens" (Herder).
The mother of two grown-up sons lives with her husband in Berlin.
About the Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit was established in 1951 by the then Federal President Theodor Heuss to mark the second anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany. The aim of the foundation is to publicly recognize political, economic, social and intellectual achievements as well as "special services to the general welfare of the Federal Republic of Germany", for example in the social and charitable fields.
