▁to ▁her ▁participation ▁in ▁Catholic ▁church ▁youth ▁activities . ▁East ▁German ▁school ▁officials ▁required ▁her ▁to ▁learn ▁a ▁trade ▁before ▁she ▁could ▁en roll ▁in ▁college , ▁so ▁whilst ▁att ending ▁a ▁technical ▁secondary ▁school ▁in ▁Rost ock , ▁she ▁took ▁voc ational ▁training ▁in ▁marine ▁electron ics ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁Entry ▁into ▁politics ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁N ol te ▁studied ▁autom ation ▁and ▁cy ber net ic ▁engineering ▁at ▁the ▁Techn ical ▁University ▁of ▁Il men au , ▁where ▁she ▁gradu at ated ▁with ▁a ▁Diplom ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁she ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁opposition ▁movement ▁New ▁Forum ▁within ▁the ▁German ▁Democratic ▁Republic ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Christian ▁Democratic ▁Union ▁( CD U ) ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁After ▁comple ting ▁her ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁Techn ical ▁University ▁of ▁Il men au , ▁she ▁accepted ▁a ▁position ▁as ▁a ▁research ▁assistant ▁there ▁but ▁left ▁this ▁job ▁within ▁weeks ▁ow ing ▁to ▁her ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁freely ▁elected ▁East ▁German ▁parliament . ▁ ▁Political ▁office ▁From ▁March ▁to ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁N ol te ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Chamber ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Democratic ▁Republic , ▁or ▁East ▁Germany . ▁After ▁German ▁un ification ▁on ▁October ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁she ▁led ▁the ▁Christian ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁list ▁in ▁Th uring ia