List of German defence ministers

Last updated

Federal Minister of Defence
Bundesminister der Verteidigung
Bundesadler Bundesorgane.svg
Flag of Germany (state).svg
Boris Pistorius (2019) (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Boris Pistorius
since 19 January 2023
Federal Ministry of Defence
Reports toThe federal chancellor
AppointerThe president, upon advice of the federal chancellor
Formation13 February 1919
First holder Gustav Noske (Weimar Republic)
Theodor Blank (Federal Republic of Germany)
Website bmvg.de

The federal minister of defence (German : Bundesminister der Verteidigung) is the head of the Federal Ministry of Defence and a member of the Federal Cabinet.

Contents

According to Article 65a of the German Constitution (German : Grundgesetz), the federal minister of defence is commander-in-chief (German : Inhaber der Befehls- und Kommandogewalt) of the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr , in peacetime. [1] Conversely, when a state of defence is declared, the federal chancellor becomes commander-in-chief. [2] The highest-ranking military officer in the Bundeswehr is the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr (German : Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr).

The current Federal Minister of Defence is Boris Pistorius, since 19 January 2023. [3]

List of officeholders

Ministers of defence, 1919–1935

No.PortraitMinister of DefenceTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Noske gustav before 1918.png
Noske, Gustav Gustav Noske
(1868–1946)
13 February 191922 March 19201 year, 38 days SPD Scheidemann
Bauer
2
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1968-100-04A, Otto Karl Gessler.jpg
Gessler, Otto Otto Gessler
(1875–1955)
27 March 192019 January 19287 years, 298 days DDP Müller I
Fehrenbach
Wirth III
Cuno
Stresemann III
Marx III
Luther III
Marx IIIIV
3
Bundesarchiv Bild 102-01048, Wilhelm Groener.jpg
Groener, Wilhelm Wilhelm Groener
(1867–1939)
19 January 192830 May 19324 years, 132 days Independent Marx IV
Müller II
Brüning III
4
KurtVonScheleicherEn1932.jpeg
Schleicher, Kurt Kurt von Schleicher
(1882–1934)
1 June 193228 January 1933243 days Independent Papen
Schleicher
5
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-W0402-504, Generaloberst Werner von Blomberg.jpg (cropped).jpg
Blomberg, Werner Werner von Blomberg
(1878–1946)
29 January 193321 May 19352 years, 112 days Independent Schleicher
Hitler

Minister of war, 1935–1938

No.PortraitMinister of WarTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-W0402-504, Generaloberst Werner von Blomberg.jpg (cropped).jpg
Blomberg, Werner Werner von Blomberg
(1878–1946)
21 May 193527 January 19382 years, 251 days Independent Hitler

In 1938 the Ministry of War was abolished and replaced by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), as a result of the Blomberg–Fritsch affair.

Chiefs of the OKW (de facto ministers of war, 1938–1945)

No.PortraitChief of the OKWTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H30220, Wilhelm Keitel.jpg
Keitel, Wilhelm Wilhelm Keitel
(1882–1946)
4 February 193813 May 19457 years, 98 days Independent Hitler
Goebbels
Schwerin von Krosigk
2
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1971-033-01, Alfred Jodl.jpg
Jodl, Alfred Alfred Jodl
(1890–1946)
13 May 194523 May 194510 days Independent Schwerin von Krosigk

Minister of war, 1945

No.PortraitMinister of WarTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1976-127-06A, Karl Donitz (cropped)(3) (cropped).jpg
Dönitz, Karl Karl Dönitz
(1891–1980)
30 April 194523 May 194523 days NSDAP Goebbels
Schwerin von Krosigk

Karl Dönitz was named as Minister of War in Hitler's testament.

Ministers of defence of the GDR, 1956–1990

No.PortraitMinister of DefenceTook officeLeft officeTime in officeParty Chairman
1
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R0430-0305A, Willi Stoph.jpg
Stoph, Willi Willi Stoph
(1914–1999)
1 March 195614 July 19604 years, 135 days SED Grotewohl
2
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1982-1217-023, Heinz Hoffmann (cropped).jpg
Hoffmann, Heinz Heinz Hoffmann
(1910–1985)
14 July 19602 December 1985 25 years, 141 days SED Grotewohl
Stoph
Sindermann
Stoph
3
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1988-0707-033, Heinz Kessler.jpg
Kessler, Heinz Heinz Kessler
(1920–2017)
3 December 198518 November 19893 years, 351 days SED Stoph
Modrow
4
Admiral-T.Hoffmann.jpg
Hoffmann, Theodor Theodor Hoffmann
(1935–2018)
18 November 198912 April 1990145 days SED Modrow
5
KAS-Eppelmann, Rainer-Bild-11032-1.jpg
Eppelmann, Rainer Rainer Eppelmann
(born 1943)
12 April 19902 October 1990173 days DA de Maizière

Ministers of defence (Bundesminister der Verteidigung), since 1955

No.PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Bundeswehr-Foto BVM001 Theodor Blank.jpg
Blank, Theodor Theodor Blank
(1905–1972)
7 June 195516 October 19561 year, 131 days CDU Adenauer II
2
Verteidigungsminister Franz Josef Strauss (4909816836).jpg
Strauß, Franz Franz Josef Strauss
(1915–1988)
16 October 19569 January 19636 years, 85 days CSU Adenauer IIV
3
Verteidigungsminister Kai Uwe von Hassel (4909218489).jpg
Hassel, Kai-Uwe Kai-Uwe von Hassel
(1913–1997)
9 January 19631 December 19663 years, 326 days CDU Erhard III
4
Verteidigungsminister Dr. Gerhard Schroder (4909218775).jpg
Schröder, Gerhard Gerhard Schröder
(1910–1989)
1 December 196621 October 19692 years, 324 days CDU Kiesinger I
5
Bundesarchiv Bild Helmut Schmidt 1975 cropped.jpg
Schmidt, Helmut Helmut Schmidt
(1918–2015)
22 October 19697 July 19722 years, 259 days SPD Brandt I
6
Verteidigungsminister Georg Leber.jpg
Leber, Georg Georg Leber
(1920–2012)
7 July 197216 February 19785 years, 224 days SPD Brandt III
Schmidt III
7
Verteidigungsminister Dr. Hans Apel (4909219537).jpg
Apel, Hans Hans Apel
(1932–2011)
17 February 19781 October 19824 years, 226 days SPD Schmidt IIIII
8
Verteidigungsminister Dr.Manfred Worner (4909819218).jpg
Wörner, Manfred Manfred Wörner
(1934–1994)
4 October 198218 May 19885 years, 227 days CDU Kohl IIIIII
9
Verteidigungsminister Prof. Dr. Rupert Scholz (4909221281).jpg
Scholz, Rupert Rupert Scholz
(born 1937)
18 May 198821 April 1989338 days CDU Kohl III
10
Verteidigungsminister Dr. Gerhard Stoltenberg (4909220253).jpg
Stoltenberg, Gerhard Gerhard Stoltenberg
(1928–2001)
21 April 198931 March 19922 years, 345 days CDU Kohl IIIIV
11
Verteidigungsminister Volker Ruhe (4909819408).jpg
Rühe, Volker Volker Rühe
(born 1942)
1 April 199226 October 19986 years, 188 days CDU Kohl IVV
12
Bundeswehr-Foto BVM012 Rudolf Scharping.jpg
Scharping, Rudolf Rudolf Scharping
(born 1947)
27 October 199819 July 20023 years, 265 days SPD Schröder I
13
Peter Struck-2010-01.jpg
Struck, Peter Peter Struck
(1943–2012)
19 July 200222 November 20053 years, 126 days SPD Schröder II
14
Verteidigungsminister Dr. Franz Josef Jung (4909819994).jpg
Jung, Franz Franz Josef Jung
(born 1949)
22 November 200528 October 20093 years, 340 days CDU Merkel I
15
Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg (4909820318).jpg
Guttenberg, Karl-Theodor Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
(born 1971)
28 October 20093 March 20111 year, 126 days CSU Merkel II
16
120216-D-TT977-152 cropped.jpg
Maizière, Thomas Thomas de Maizière
(born 1954)
3 March 201117 December 20132 years, 289 days CDU Merkel II
17
Von der Leyen 2010.jpg
Leyen, Ursula Ursula von der Leyen
(born 1958)
17 December 201317 July 20195 years, 212 days CDU Merkel IIIIV
18
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer 2016 (cropped).jpg
Kramp, Annegret Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
(born 1962)
17 July 20198 December 20212 years, 144 days CDU Merkel IV
19
Christine Lambrecht 220216-D-TT977-0386 (51885643496) (cropped).jpg
Lambrecht, Christine Christine Lambrecht
(born 1965)
8 December 202119 January 20231 year, 42 days SPD Scholz
20
Boris Pistorius (2019) (cropped).jpg
Pistorius, Boris Boris Pistorius
(born 1960)
19 January 2023Incumbent2 years, 203 days SPD Scholz
Merz

References

  1. "Art 65a Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  2. "Art 115b Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  3. tagesschau.de. "Pistorius tritt Amt an – Treffen mit Austin". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 19 January 2023.