Early Life And Family Background

Ursula von der Leyen: A Path to Politics

Early Life and Family Background

Ursula von der Leyen, born Ursula Albrecht on October 8, 1958, in Brussels, Belgium, has a distinguished family background. She is a member of the Albrecht family and spent her early years in Brussels and later in Ilten, near Hannover.

Political Connections

Despite being born into a political family, von der Leyen initially pursued a career in medicine. However, it was not until after she married Heiko von der Leyen, a member of the von der Leyen family with a background in silk merchant and nobility, that she began her own political journey.

International Outlook

Ursula and Heiko von der Leyen have seven children. Hans-Holger Albrecht, von der Leyen's brother, resides in multiple countries, including London, Austria, and Stockholm, reflecting the international outlook of the family.