Remembering Dr. Karin Zinkann ‘57 (1933-2025)
Members of the International House community note with sorrow the passing of Dr. Karin Zinkann ’57, longtime World Council of Alumni member and International Trustee, at her home in the town of Gütersloh in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on July 23.
As reported locally, “With her, Gütersloh loses an outstanding personality who has dedicated herself for decades to the common good, cultural life, and social issues in our city—as an engaged supporter of numerous projects alongside her husband, the co-owner of Miele and honorary citizen of Gütersloh, Dr. Peter Zinkann.”
Dr. Zinkann, who was born in Saxony-Anhalt, completed her studies at the University of Münster and lived at the House in 1956-57 while studying at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Political Science.
In her application to live at the House, she noted her extracurricular interests in painting, the history of art, and music. She re-engaged with I-House in the late 1970s, supporting Herman Rottenberg’s ALLNATIONS Dance Company, and was elected to the World Council of Alumni in 1979.
Dr. Zinkann advised, helped plan, and took part in the World Council meeting held in Berlin in 1986, which inspired the creation of Freunde des I-House by Klaus Moessle ’85 and others in the following years.
In 1993, she was elected International Trustees and served in that capacity until her passing. A generous supporter of the House, she also took part in the 1996 WCA meeting in Singapore and, on numerous occasions, she and her husband hosted members of Freunde des I-House at the family home in Gütersloh, and tours of the Miele factory there since the late 1990s, most recently in 2015 and 2019.
“Karen and her husband Peter, representatives of the German ‘Mittelstand’ at its best, were wonderful hosts to Freunde of I-House,” said Klaus Moessle, International Trustee and WCA Co-Chair. “I will always remember Karin´s youthful energy and friendship, her good sense of humor, and the personal interest she took in guests she welcomed to her home. She was dedicated to the I-House ideals of community engagement, both globally and locally.”
Following decades of public service in 2015, Dr. Zinkann was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of her exceptional social work and cultural engagement. She was lauded for her philanthropic activities and her commitment to children and youth, particularly those from disadvantaged and migrant families.
“International House has lost a devoted alumna and friend with the passing of Karin Zinkann,” said I-House President & CEO Sebastian Fries. “She was a woman of uncommon grace, commitment and generosity, and we send our deepest condolences to her husband Peter, son Reinhard, and family.”