Teacher wins Miss Germany 2016

"The photos have to turn out beautifully," said Lena Bröder, wiping away tears of joy from her face after winning the pageant at Rust in southwestern Germany.

Bröder is no stranger to public appearances, having taught religious studies and home economics to schoolchildren in North Rhine Westfalia.

"But I usually don't get any applause for that," Bröder told journalists shortly after the victory made her officially the most beautiful woman in Germany.

The crown was a dream come true for Bröder, who won the pageant after several rounds of walking in high heels on stage with 23 other women. She clinched the prize on Sunday with her extraordinary performance in the swimsuit and evening wear rounds, and her smart answers. "I teach Germany's future," the blue-eyed Bröder told the audience when she was asked about her profession.

"The complete package" was decisive in Bröder's case, said Christian Democratic Party's Wolfgang Bosbach, who was a judge at the contest.

The 26-year-old is the first in her profession to win in the beauty pageant's 89-year-old history.

"I think I am a model for young girls, even when the going is not so good… I have proven that I am a fighter and ambition is worth its while," Bröder told reporters. The beauty queen is an old hand at pageants and has taken part in 30 similar contests since 2009. She won 16 of them, including "Miss Goslar" and "Miss West Germany."

mg/jm (dpa)