U ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁CD U ▁executive ▁in ▁Brandenburg ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁and ▁became ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁D ah me - S pre ew ald ▁district ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁She ▁was ▁appointed ▁Deput y ▁National ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁CD U ▁Brandenburg ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Act ing ▁National ▁Chair ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁and ▁National ▁Chair ▁by ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁W anka ▁was ▁the ▁State ▁Minister ▁for ▁Science , ▁Research ▁and ▁Cultural ▁Affairs ▁of ▁Brandenburg , ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Minister - Pres ident ▁Man fred ▁St ol pe ▁( 2 0 0 0 – 2 0 0 2 ) ▁and ▁later ▁under ▁his ▁successor ▁Matth ias ▁Plat ze ck ▁( 2 0 0 2 – 2 0 0 9 ). ▁As ▁such ▁she ▁was ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Kult us minister kon fer enz , ▁an ▁association ▁of ▁all ▁state ▁minister s ▁for ▁this ▁area , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁W anka ▁served ▁as ▁State ▁Minister ▁of ▁Science ▁and ▁Culture ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Lower ▁Sax ony , ▁in ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁Mc All ister ; ▁she ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁East ▁German ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁minister ▁in ▁a ▁state ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁former ▁West ▁Germany .