Private life Reiche was born in
Potsdam. After his
Abitur in 1979, he studied
Theology in
Berlin. He took a break from studying in 1982/1983 to do an apprenticeship as
cabinetmaker. In 1986 he completed his study and was from 1988 to 1990
pastor in
Christinendorf. Reiche is married and has three daughters.
Political career Reiche co-founded the
Social Democratic Party of East Germany (SDP) in 1989, during the political process of the change ("
Wende") 1989/90 that led to German Reunification. He was member of the party executive committee. Also he was member of the first free voted
People's Chamber of East Germany, from March 1990 until the German Reunification on 2 October 1990. After the merger of the SDP with the West German
SPD, Reiche until 2000 was chairman of the SPD in
Brandenburg. From 1990 until his resignation in 2005 he was member of the
Landtag of Brandenburg. In this time he was from 1994 to 1999
Ministry of Science, Research and Culture and from 1999 to 2004 Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. From 2005 to 2009, Reiche was a member of the German parliament, the
Bundestag, representing
Cottbus – Spree-Neiße. He also served as a member of the Parliamentary group board of the SPD. ==See also==