Federal Minister of Defence
Bundesminister der Verteidigung
Coat of arms
State flag
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 holderGustav Noske (Weimar Republic)
Theodor Blank (Federal Republic of Germany)
Websitebmvg.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.

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. Portrait Minister of DefenceTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Gustav Noske
Noske, GustavGustav Noske
(1868–1946)		13 February 191922 March 19201 year, 38 daysSPDScheidemann
Bauer
2
Otto Gessler
Gessler, OttoOtto Gessler
(1875–1955)		27 March 192019 January 19287 years, 298 daysDDPMüller I
Fehrenbach
Wirth I−II
Cuno
Stresemann I−II
Marx I−II
Luther I−II
Marx III−IV
3
Wilhelm Groener
Groener, WilhelmWilhelm Groener
(1867–1939)		19 January 192830 May 19324 years, 132 daysIndependentMarx IV
Müller II
Brüning I−II
4
Kurt von Schleicher
Schleicher, KurtKurt von Schleicher
(1882–1934)		1 June 193228 January 1933243 daysIndependentPapen
Schleicher
5
Werner von Blomberg
Blomberg, WernerWerner von Blomberg
(1878–1946)		28 January 193321 May 19352 years, 113 daysIndependentSchleicher
Hitler

Minister of War, 1935–1938

No. Portrait Minister of WarTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Werner von Blomberg
Blomberg, WernerWerner von Blomberg
(1878–1946)		21 May 193527 January 19382 years, 251 daysIndependentHitler

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

Chief of the OKW (de facto Minister of War, 1938–1945)

No. Portrait Chief of the OKWTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Wilhelm Keitel
Keitel, WilhelmWilhelm Keitel
(1882–1946)		4 February 193812 May 19457 years, 93 daysIndependentHitler
Goebbels
Schwerin von Krosigk

Ministers of Defence of the GDR, 1956–1990

No. Portrait Minister of DefenceTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyChairman
1
Willi Stoph
Stoph, WilliWilli Stoph
(1914–1999)		1 March 195614 July 19604 years, 135 daysSEDGrotewohl
2
Heinz Hoffmann
Hoffmann, HeinzHeinz Hoffmann
(1910–1985)		14 July 19602 December 1985 †25 years, 141 daysSEDGrotewohl
Stoph
Sindermann
Stoph
3
Heinz Kessler
Kessler, HeinzHeinz Kessler
(1920–2017)		3 December 198518 November 19893 years, 351 daysSEDStoph
Modrow
4
Theodor Hoffmann
Hoffmann, TheodorTheodor Hoffmann
(1935–2018)		18 November 198912 April 1990145 daysSEDModrow
5
Rainer Eppelmann
Eppelmann, RainerRainer Eppelmann
(born 1943)		12 April 19902 October 1990173 daysDAde Maizière

Ministers of Defence (Bundesminister der Verteidigung), since 1955

No. Portrait NameTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Theodor Blank
Blank, TheodorTheodor Blank
(1905–1972)		7 June 195516 October 19561 year, 131 daysCDUAdenauer II
2
Franz Josef Strauß
Strauß, FranzFranz Josef Strauß
(1915–1988)		16 October 19569 January 19636 years, 85 daysCSUAdenauer II–V
3
Kai-Uwe von Hassel
Hassel, Kai-UweKai-Uwe von Hassel
(1913–1997)		9 January 19631 December 19663 years, 326 daysCDUErhard I–II
4
Gerhard Schröder
Schröder, GerhardGerhard Schröder
(1910–1989)		1 December 196621 October 19692 years, 324 daysCDUKiesinger I
5
Helmut Schmidt
Schmidt, HelmutHelmut Schmidt
(1918–2015)		22 October 19697 July 19722 years, 259 daysSPDBrandt I
6
Georg Leber
Leber, GeorgGeorg Leber
(1920–2012)		7 July 197216 February 19785 years, 224 daysSPDBrandt I–II
Schmidt I–II
7
Hans Apel
Apel, HansHans Apel
(1932–2011)		17 February 19781 October 19824 years, 226 daysSPDSchmidt II–III
8
Manfred Wörner
Wörner, ManfredManfred Wörner
(1934–1994)		4 October 198218 May 19885 years, 227 daysCDUKohl I–II–III
9
Rupert Scholz
Scholz, RupertRupert Scholz
(born 1937)		18 May 198821 April 1989338 daysCDUKohl III
10
Gerhard Stoltenberg
Stoltenberg, GerhardGerhard Stoltenberg
(1928–2001)		21 April 198931 March 19922 years, 345 daysCDUKohl III–IV
11
Volker Rühe
Rühe, VolkerVolker Rühe
(born 1942)		1 April 199226 October 19986 years, 188 daysCDUKohl IV–V
12
Rudolf Scharping
Scharping, RudolfRudolf Scharping
(born 1947)		27 October 199819 July 20023 years, 265 daysSPDSchröder I
13
Peter Struck
Struck, PeterPeter Struck
(1943–2012)		19 July 200222 November 20053 years, 126 daysSPDSchröder II
14
Franz Josef Jung
Jung, FranzFranz Josef Jung
(born 1949)		22 November 200528 October 20093 years, 340 daysCDUMerkel I
15
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
Guttenberg, Karl-TheodorKarl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
(born 1971)		28 October 20093 March 20111 year, 126 daysCSUMerkel II
16
Thomas de Maizière
Maizière, ThomasThomas de Maizière
(born 1954)		3 March 201117 December 20132 years, 289 daysCDUMerkel II
17
Ursula von der Leyen
Leyen, UrsulaUrsula von der Leyen
(born 1958)		17 December 201317 July 20195 years, 212 daysCDUMerkel III–IV
18
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
Kramp, AnnegretAnnegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
(born 1962)		17 July 20198 December 20212 years, 144 daysCDUMerkel IV
19
Christine Lambrecht
Lambrecht, ChristineChristine Lambrecht
(born 1965)		8 December 202119 January 20231 year, 42 daysSPDScholz
20
Boris Pistorius
Pistorius, BorisBoris Pistorius
(born 1960)		19 January 2023Incumbent359 daysSPDScholz

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.
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