Stefan Raetz (born 24 February 1959 in Flensburg) is a German lawyer and politician. A member of the Christian Democratic Union, he served as the full-time mayor of Rheinbach in North Rhine-Westphalia from 1999 to 2020.
Life After graduating from high school and serving as a temporary soldier () with the German Navy (Bundeswehr), Raetz studied legal science at the University of Bonn from 1981. He completed his studies on 5th. In March 1988 with the first Staatsexamen. He completed his legal traineeship in the legal preparatory service of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. He then studied at the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer. This was followed by the second Staatsexamen on 15 October 1991. Until 30 June 1994 Raetz was head of the legal office and the main and personnel office in Luckenwalde. He was also the first deputy to the mayor.
On 1 July 1994, Stefan Raetz was elected first associate () in Rheinbach and was responsible for the planning, school, cultural, sports and social services. In the 1999 NRW communal elections, he was elected mayor of Rheinbach with 55.6% of the votes cast. Election results of North Rhine-Westphalia in 1999 … Rheinbach city – recalled September 15, 2025 He resigned on 1st Oktober 1999. In the 2004 NRW communal elections he received 63.4% of the vote, Election results of North Rhine-Westphalia in 2004 … Rheinbach city – recalled September 15, 2025 71.2% in 2009 Election results of North Rhine-Westphalia in 2009 … Rheinbach city – recalled September 15, 2025 and 64.9% in 2014. Election results of North Rhine-Westphalia 2014 … Rheinbach city – recalled September 15, 2025 To the election on 13 September 2020 Raetz did not resume in, and Ludger Banken was elected as his successor.
On the 9th In March 2000, Raetz became a member of the legal, constitutional, personnel and organisation committee of the North Rhine-Westphalia Association of Towns and Municipalities, of which he was deputy chairman from 2005 to 2010.
Since 6 April 2005 Raetz is a member of the presidium. On 2 June 2010 he was elected chairman of the Committee on Urban Design, Construction and Regional Planning of the North Rhine-Westphalia Association of Town and Municipalities.
Raetz is married and has a son.
Honours Award ceremony for the honorary citizenship of the city of Rheinbach on 31 October 2023
Other honorary positions, election functions Chairman German Red Cross Voreifel () in 2025Blick aktuell, Aus Liebe zur Heimat (), journal to Meckenheim, Rheinbach, Wachtberg; Saturday, 6 September 2025, issue 36/2025, page 8
References
External links Vita of the Mayor Stefan Raetz, city of Rheinbach as of 13 December 2018 via Internet Archive Stefan Raetz ran again in 2014, Bonner Rundschau, 18 November 2013. Uta Effern-Salhoub: Mayor in Rheinbach: Stefan Raetz will no longer compete in the 2020 local elections. General-Anzeiger (Bonn), 23 November 2019.