Trivia
Annemarie Renger is commonly regarded as a "Grande Dame", the last of the grand ladies of the German Social Democratic movement. This is owed not only to her political influence, her life in a social democratic community, or to her age, but also to her demeanor. Renger set great value on style and appearance. She had a preference for sports cars and mink coats and her hair styling was always perfect. There are legendary anecdotes about her friendly, but resolute remark to Gerhard Schröder, then (1980) newly-elected Member of the Bundestag and Chairman of the SPD “Juso” (abbreviation for “Young Socialists”) youth organisation (and later to become Federal Chancellor) about him failing to wear a necktie: „Genosse Schröder, you will have to wear a necktie for tomorrow's election of the Bundeskanzler - as called for by custom“. Schröder followed her order and, at a later occasion, remarked: „For her, wearing proper attire was a sign of respect towards a constitutional body of democratic Germany. The institutions of parliamentary democracy had to be respected. For Annemarie Renger, they were emitting grace of their own, and this was not to be violated.” During a Bundestag session in 1987, Thomas Ebermann, a member of the Green Party, stepped up to the lectern in the chamber wearing rather casual attire. In a short but unequivocal manner Renger snapped at him: “Button up your shirt!”. Her order appeared so clear to Ebermann that he complied immediately.
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