List of chancellors of Germany

Last updated

Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2005-0057, Otto von Bismarck (cropped).jpg
Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F078072-0004, Konrad Adenauer.jpg
Helmut Kohl (1996) cropped.jpg
Angela Merkel 2019 cropped.jpg

The chancellor of Germany [1] is the political leader of Germany and the head of the federal government. The office holder is responsible for selecting all other members of the government and chairing cabinet meetings. [2]

Contents

The office was created in the North German Confederation in 1867, [3] when Otto von Bismarck became the first chancellor. With the unification of Germany and establishment of the German Empire in 1871, the Confederation evolved into a German nation-state and its leader became known as the chancellor of Germany. [4] Originally, the chancellor was only responsible to the emperor. This changed with the constitutional reform in 1918, when the Parliament was given the right to dismiss the chancellor. Under the 1919 Weimar Constitution the chancellors were appointed by the directly elected president, but were responsible to Parliament. [5]

The constitution was set aside during the 1933–1945 Nazi regime. During the Allied occupation, no independent German government and no chancellor existed; and the office was not reconstituted in East Germany, thus the head of government of East Germany was chairman of the Council of Ministers. The 1949 Basic Law made the chancellor the most important office in West Germany, while diminishing the role of the president. [1]

North German Confederation (1867–1871)

The North German Confederation came into existence after the German Confederation was dissolved following the Prussian victory in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The chancellor was appointed by the Bundespräsidium, a position that was held constitutionally by the Prussian king. [3]

Political parties:    None

Flag of Germany (1867-1919).svg Federal Chancellor of the North German Confederation
PortraitName
(born–died)
Term of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2005-0057, Otto von Bismarck.jpg Otto von Bismarck
(1815–1898)
1 July
1867
21 March
1871
3 years, 263 daysNon-partisan

German Reich (1871–1943) / Greater German Reich (1943–1945)

German Empire (1871–1918)

The German Empire was born out of the North German Confederation as result of the Franco-Prussian War (1870/71). The Präsidium (the Prussian king), which now had also the title Emperor, named the chancellor. [4]

Political parties:    None    Centre

Flag of the German Empire.svg Imperial Chancellor of the German Empire
PortraitName
(born–died)
Term of officePolitical partyCabinet
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2005-0057, Otto von Bismarck.jpg Otto von Bismarck
(1815–1898)
21 March
1871
20 March
1890
18 years, 364 daysNon-partisan Bismarck
2 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R09316, Leo Graf von Caprivi.jpg Leo von Caprivi
(1831–1899)
20 March
1890
26 October
1894
4 years, 220 daysNon-partisan Caprivi

Office vacant between 26 October 1894 and 29 October 1894

3 Die Gartenlaube (1894) b 773.jpg Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
(1819–1901)
29 October
1894
17 October
1900
5 years, 353 daysNon-partisan Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
4 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2004-0098, Bernhard Furst von Bulow (cropped)(b).jpg Bernhard von Bülow
(1849–1929)
17 October
1900
14 July
1909
8 years, 270 daysNon-partisan Bülow
5 Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg(cropped).jpg Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg
(1856–1921)
14 July
1909
13 July
1917
7 years, 364 daysNon-partisan Bethmann Hollweg
6 Georg Michaelis (cropped).jpg Georg Michaelis
(1857–1936)
14 July
1917
1 November
1917
110 daysNon-partisan Michaelis
7 Georg von Hertling portrait (cropped).jpg Georg von Hertling
(1843–1919)
1 November
1917
30 September
1918
333 days Centre Party Hertling

Office vacant between 30 September 1918 and 3 October 1918

8 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R04103, Prinz Max von Baden.jpg Max von Baden
(1867–1929)
3 October
1918
9 November
1918
37 daysNon-partisan Baden

Weimar Republic (1918–1933)

On 9 November 1918, Chancellor Max von Baden handed over his office to Friedrich Ebert. Ebert continued to serve as head of government during the three months between the end of the German Empire in November 1918 and the first gathering of the National Assembly in February 1919 as Chairman of the Council of the People's Deputies, until 29 December 1918 together with USPD Leader Hugo Haase. [6]

The Weimar Constitution of 1919 set the framework for the Weimar Republic. The chancellors were officially installed by the president; in some cases the chancellor did not have a majority in parliament. [1] [5]

Political parties:    SPD    Centre    DVP    NSDAP    None

Flag of the German Empire.svg Imperial Chancellor of the German Empire / President of the Council of the People's Deputies
PortraitName
(born–died)
Term of officePolitical partyCabinet Reichstag
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
9 Bundesarchiv Bild 102-00015, Friedrich Ebert (cropped).jpg Friedrich Ebert
(1871–1925)
9 November
1918
13 February
1919
96 days Social Democratic Party Council of the People's Deputies
SPDUSPD
(as of 29 December 1918 SPD alone)
Flag of the German Empire.svg Reich Minister-President of the German Reich
10 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1979-122-29A, Philipp Scheidemann.jpg Philipp Scheidemann
(1865–1939)
13 February
1919
20 June
1919
127 daysSocial Democratic Party Scheidemann
SPDDDPZ
( Weimar Coalition )
Nat.Ass.
(Jan.1919)
11 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J0113-0500-001, Gustav Bauer.jpg Gustav Bauer
(1870–1944)
21 June
1919
14 August
1919
54 daysSocial Democratic Party Bauer
SPDDDPZ
( Weimar Coalition )
Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg Reich Chancellor of the German Reich
12 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J0113-0500-001, Gustav Bauer.jpg Gustav Bauer
(1870–1944)
14 August
1919
26 March
1920
219 daysSocial Democratic Party Bauer
SPDDDPZ
( Weimar Coalition )
Nat.Ass.
(Jan.1919)
13 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1979-122-28A, Hermann Muller.jpg Hermann Müller
(1876–1931)
27 March
1920
21 June
1920
86 daysSocial Democratic Party Müller I
SPDDDPZ
( Weimar Coalition )

Office vacant between 21 June 1920 and 25 June 1920

14 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R18733, Constantin Fehrenbach.jpg Constantin Fehrenbach
(1852–1926)
25 June
1920
10 May
1921
319 days Centre Party Fehrenbach
ZDDPDVP
1
(Jun.1920)
15 Bundesarchiv Bild 146III-105, Joseph Wirth.jpg Joseph Wirth
(1879–1956)
10 May
1921
22 November
1922
1 year, 196 daysCentre Party Wirth I
ZSPDDDP
( Weimar Coalition )
Wirth II
ZSPDDDP
( Weimar Coalition )
16 Wilhelm Cuno, 1876-1933, half-length portrait, facing right LCCN2005680053.jpg Wilhelm Cuno
(1876–1933)
22 November
1922
12 August
1923
263 daysNon-partisan Cuno
Ind.DVPDDPZBVP
17 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1989-040-27, Gustav Stresemann.jpg Gustav Stresemann
(1878–1929)
13 August
1923
30 November
1923
109 days German People's Party Stresemann I
DVPSPDZDDP
Stresemann II
DVPSPDZDDP
18 Reichskanzler Wilhelm Marx (cropped).jpg Wilhelm Marx
(1863–1946)
30 November
1923
15 January
1925
1 year, 46 daysCentre Party Marx I
ZDVPBVPDDP
Marx II
ZDVPDDP
2
(May 1924)
19 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1969-008A-07, Hans Luther.jpg Hans Luther
(1879–1962)
15 January
1925
12 May
1926
1 year, 117 daysNon-partisan Luther I
DVPDNVPZDDPBVP
3
(Dec.1924)
Luther II
DVPZDDPBVP

Otto Gessler was acting Chancellor between 12 May 1926 and 17 May 1926

20 Reichskanzler Wilhelm Marx (cropped).jpg Wilhelm Marx
(1863–1946)
17 May
1926
28 June
1928
2 years, 42 daysCentre Party Marx III
ZDVPDDPBVP
Marx IV
ZDNVPDVPBVP
21 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1979-122-28A, Hermann Muller.jpg Hermann Müller
(1876–1931)
28 June
1928
27 March
1930
1 year, 272 daysSocial Democratic Party Müller II
SPDDVPDDPZBVP
4
(May 1928)
22 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1989-0630-504, Heinrich Bruning.jpg Heinrich Brüning
(1885–1970)
30 March
1930
30 May
1932
2 years, 61 daysCentre Party Brüning I
ZDDPDVPWPBVPKVP
5
(Sep.1930)
Brüning II
ZDSPBVPKVP–CLV
23 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1988-0113-500, Franz v. Papen (cropped).jpg Franz von Papen
(1879–1969)
1 June
1932
3 December
1932
185 daysNon-partisan Papen
Ind.DNVP
6
(Jul.1932)
24 KurtVonScheleicherEn1932.jpeg Kurt von Schleicher
(1882–1934)
3 December
1932
30 January
1933
58 daysNon-partisan Schleicher
Ind.DNVP
7
(Nov.1932)
25 Adolf Hitler cropped restored (3x4 cropped).jpg Adolf Hitler
(1889–1945)
30 January
1933
24 March
1933
53 days National Socialist
German Workers' Party
Hitler
NSDAPDNVP
8(Mar.1933)

Nazi Germany (1933–1945)

Soon after Adolf Hitler was appointed as chancellor in 1933, the German Reichstag (parliament) passed the so-called Enabling Act (German: Ermächtigungsgesetz), officially titled "Law for Removing the Distress of People and Reich" (German: Gesetz zur Behebung der Not von Volk und Reich), which effectively gave the chancellor the power of a dictator. This event marked the end of the Weimar Republic and the beginning of Nazi Germany. [7] Hitler thereupon destroyed all democratic systems and consolidated all power to himself. After the death of president Paul von Hindenburg in 1934, Hitler merged the offices of chancellor and president in his own person and called himself Führer und Reichskanzler.

Political parties:    NSDAP

Flag of the German Reich (1933-1935).svg Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg Reich Chancellor of the German Reich / Reich Chancellor of the Greater German Reich
No.PortraitName
(born–died)
Term of officePolitical partyCabinet Reichstag [a]
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
26 Adolf Hitler cropped restored (3x4 cropped).jpg Adolf Hitler
(1889–1945)
24 March
1933
30 April
1945
12 years, 37 days National Socialist
German Workers' Party
Hitler
NSDAP
9(Nov.1933)
10(Mar.1936)
11(Apr.1938)
27 Bundesarchiv Bild Joseph Goebbels (3x4 cropped).jpg Joseph Goebbels
(1897–1945)
30 April
1945
1 May
1945
1 dayNational Socialist
German Workers' Party
Goebbels [b]
NSDAP
28 Ludwig Schwerin von Krosigk.jpg Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk [c]
(1887–1977)
2 May
1945
23 May
1945
21 daysNational Socialist
German Workers' Party
Schwerin von Krosigk
NSDAP
  1. No elections held during World War II. Last convened on 26 April 1942.
  2. Cabinet nominated in Hitler's testament but never convened.
  3. Lutz von Krosigk did not accept the position of chancellor, but acted as "Leading Minister" with the power of a chancellor.

Federal Republic of Germany (1949–present)

In 1949, two separate German states were established: the Federal Republic of Germany (known as West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (known as East Germany). The list below gives the chancellors of West Germany; the government of East Germany was headed by the chairman of the Council of Ministers. [8] In 1990, East Germany was dissolved as it merged with West Germany; Germany was reunified. It retained the name of the Federal Republic of Germany. [9]

Political parties:    CDU (5) [a]    SPD (4)

  Denotes acting (i.e. ad interim)
Flag of Germany.svg Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
PortraitName
(born–died)
Term of officePolitical partyCabinet Bundestag
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Adenauer Bouserath3.jpg Konrad Adenauer
(1876–1967)
15 September
1949
15 October
1963
14 years, 30 days Christian Democratic Union
(CDU)
Adenauer I
CDU/CSUFDPDP
1 (1949)
Adenauer II
CDU/CSUFDP/FVPDPGB/BHE
2 (1953)
Adenauer III
CDU/CSUDP
3(1957)
Adenauer IV
CDU/CSUFDP
4(1961)
2 Einde bezoek bondskanselier dr Ludwig Erhard en gaf persconferentie in het Haag, Bestanddeelnr 916-1330.jpg Ludwig Erhard
(1897–1977)
15 October
1963
30 November
1966
3 years, 45 days Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) [b]
Erhard I
CDU/CSUFDP
Erhard II
CDU/CSUFDP
5(1965)
3 Kurt Georg Kiesinger.jpg Kurt Georg Kiesinger
(1904–1988)
30 November
1966
21 October
1969
2 years, 324 daysChristian Democratic Union
(CDU)
Kiesinger
CDU/CSUSPD
4 Willy Brandt01.jpg Willy Brandt
(1913–1992)
21 October
1969
7 May
1974
4 years, 197 days Social Democratic Party
(SPD)
Brandt I
SPDFDP
6(1969)
Brandt II
SPDFDP
7(1972)
Walter Scheel 1971 (cropped).jpg Walter Scheel
(1919–2016)
Acting [c]
7 May
1974
16 May
1974
9 days Free Democratic Party
(FDP)
Brandt II
(acting)
5 Bundeskanzler Helmut Schmidt (1).jpg Helmut Schmidt
(1918–2015)
16 May
1974
1 October
1982
8 years, 138 daysSocial Democratic Party
(SPD)
Schmidt I
SPDFDP
Schmidt II
SPDFDP
8(1976)
Schmidt III
SPDFDP
9(1980)
6 Helmut Kohl (1996).png Helmut Kohl
(1930–2017)
1 October
1982
27 October
1998
16 years, 26 daysChristian Democratic Union
(CDU)
Kohl I
CDU/CSUFDP
Kohl II
CDU/CSUFDP
10(1983)
Kohl III
CDU/CSUFDP
11(1987)
Kohl IV
CDU/CSUFDP
12(1990)
Kohl V
CDU/CSUFDP
13(1994)
7 Gerhard Schroder profile 2014.jpg Gerhard Schröder
(born 1944)
27 October
1998
22 November
2005
7 years, 26 daysSocial Democratic Party
(SPD)
Schröder I
SPDGreen
14(1998)
Schröder II
SPDGreen
15(2002)
8 Angela Merkel 2019 cropped.jpg Angela Merkel
(born 1954)
22 November
2005
8 December
2021
16 years, 16 daysChristian Democratic Union
(CDU)
Merkel I
CDU/CSUSPD
16(2005)
Merkel II
CDU/CSUFDP
17(2009)
Merkel III
CDU/CSUSPD
18(2013)
Merkel IV
CDU/CSUSPD
19(2017)
9 Olaf Scholz 2024.jpg Olaf Scholz
(born 1958)
8 December
2021
Incumbent3 years, 97 daysSocial Democratic Party
(SPD)
Scholz
SPDGreenFDP
20(2021)
  1. Including Ludwig Erhard, who never formally joined the CDU and was de jure an independent politician. His lack of party membership was not widely known until decades after his death.
  2. Erhard never formally joined the CDU and so was de jure an independent politician. However, Erhard spent his entire career with the CDU, and was believed to be a member by both the party and the public; his lack of party membership was not widely known until decades after his death. [10] Later on, Erhard briefly became the leader of the CDU from 1966 to 1967.
  3. As Vice Chancellor under Brandt, Scheel served as acting Chancellor following Brandt's resignation. [11]

Timeline

Olaf ScholzAngela MerkelGerhard SchröderHelmut KohlHelmut SchmidtWalter ScheelWilly BrandtKurt Georg KiesingerLudwig ErhardKonrad AdenauerLutz Graf Schwerin von KrosigkJoseph GoebbelsAdolf HitlerKurt von SchleicherFranz von PapenHeinrich BrüningHans LutherWilhelm MarxGustav StresemannWilhelm CunoJoseph WirthConstantin FehrenbachHermann Müller (politician, born 1876)Gustav BauerPhilipp ScheidemannFriedrich EbertMaximilian of BadenGeorg von HertlingGeorg MichaelisTheobald von Bethmann HollwegBernhard von BülowChlodwig zu Hohenlohe-SchillingsfürstLeo von CapriviOtto von BismarckList of chancellors of Germany

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Neuland Grundgesetz | Abkehr von Weimarer Verfassung – Reaktion auf Nazi-Deutschland" [Virgin Soil "Basic Law" | Departure from Weimar Constitution - Reaction to Nazi Germany] (in German). Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  2. "Tasks of the Federal Chancellor". bundeskanzlerin.de. The Press and Information Office of the Federal Government. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  3. 1 2 Verfassung des Norddeutschen Bundes  [ North German Constitution ] (in German). 26 June 1867 via Wikisource.
  4. 1 2 Constitution of the German Empire  [ Verfassung des Deutschen Reichs ]. 16 April 1871 via Wikisource.
  5. 1 2 "The Seeds of Evil: The Rise of Hitler — The Constitution of the Weimar Republic". schoolshistory.org.uk. 2004. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  6. "Biografie Friedrich Ebert 1871-1925" [Biography of Friedrich Ebert]. www.dhm.de/lemo (in German). LeMO/Deutsches Historisches Museum . Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  7. Hosch, William L. (23 March 2007). "The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act of March 23, 1933". Britannica Blog. Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  8. "Entstehung der DDR: Verfassung und Führungsrolle der SED" [Formation of the GDR: Constitution and the SED's Leadership Role]. www.hdg.de/lemo (in German). LeMO/Haus der Geschichte. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  9. Vertrag zwischen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland und der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik über die Herstellung der Einheit Deutschlands (Einigungsvertrag) [Unification Treaty between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic] (Treaty) (in German). 31 August 1990. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  10. Jörges, Hans Ulrich; Wüllenweber, Walter (25 April 2007). "CDU-Altkanzler: Ludwig Erhard war nie CDU-Mitglied" (in German). Der Stern . Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  11. McFadden, Robert D. (24 August 2016). "Walter Scheel, Leading Figure in West German Thaw With the East, Dies at 97". The New York Times . Retrieved 14 March 2018.