Like his seven predecessors, the eighth President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. h.c. Johannes Rau, made a stopover in Wiesbaden during his inaugural visit to Hesse.

On the morning of September 23, 1999, Lord Mayor Diehl welcomed the statesman in the ceremonial hall of the town hall.

Rau, who had already immortalized himself in the city's Golden Book in 1993 as Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia during an SPD federal party conference, explained in his speech that Germany is particularly attractive because of its cities. Wiesbaden plays a special role in this context, as the city has a good international reputation, as evidenced by the entries of numerous celebrities from Germany and abroad in the Golden Book.

He then signed the magnificent volume again.

Born in Wuppertal on January 16, 1931, Dr. h.c. Johannes Rau died in Berlin on January 27, 2006 after an eventful political life.