Heinke Salisch studied Applied Linguistics in Mainz and graduated in 1965 as a graduate interpreter. Afterwards she was a freelance conference interpreter until 1979. She started her political career in 1971 when she became city councilor in Karlsruhe.
Between July 1979 and July 1995 Salisch was member of the European Parliament. During that period she was member and member of the Bureau of the Socialist Group and of the Group of the Party of European Socialists, she was Vice-Chair of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs, member of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment, member of the Delegation for relations with Latin-America, member of the Committee on Women's Rights, member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America and the Contadora Group, member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South America, member of the Committee on Social Affairs, Employment and the Working Environment, member of the Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs, member of the Delegation for relations with Japan.
From 1995 to 2003, she was mayor in Karlsruhe.