List of German defence ministers

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.

For pre-1919 Prussian Ministers of War, see Prussian Ministry of War.

Federal Minister of Defence
Bundesminister der Verteidigung
Coat of Arms of the German Government
Incumbent
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
since 17 July 2019
Federal Ministry of Defence
Reports toThe Federal Chancellor
AppointerThe President, upon advice of the Federal Chancellor
Formation13 February 1919
First holderGustav Noske
Websitebmvg.de

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 Bundeswehr, the German armed forces.[1] Article 115b decrees that in the state of defence, declared by the Bundestag with consent of the Bundesrat, the command in chief passes to the Federal Chancellor.[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 Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.

List of officeholders

Ministers of Defence, 1919–1935
No. Minister of DefenceTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Noske, GustavGustav Noske
(1868–1946)		13 February 191922 March 19201 year, 38 daysSPDScheidemann
Bauer
2
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
Groener, WilhelmWilhelm Groener
(1867–1939)		19 January 192830 May 19324 years, 132 daysIndependentMarx IV
Müller II
Brüning I − II
4
Schleicher, KurtKurt von Schleicher
(1882–1934)		1 June 193228 January 1933243 daysIndependentvon Papen
von Schleicher
5
Blomberg, WernerWerner von Blomberg
(1878–1946)		28 January 193321 May 19352 years, 113 daysIndependentvon Schleicher
Hitler

Minister of War, 1935–1938
No. Minister of WarTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
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. Chief of the OKWTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Keitel, WilhelmWilhelm Keitel
(1882–1946)		4 February 19388 May 19457 years, 93 daysIndependentHitler
Flensburg

Minister of War, 1945
No. Minister of WarTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Dönitz, KarlKarl Dönitz
(1891–1980)		30 April 194523 May 194523 daysNSDAPGoebbels
Flensburg

Ministers of Defence of the GDR, 1956–1990
No. Minister of WarTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyChairman
1
Stoph, WilliWilli Stoph
(1914–1999)		1 March 195614 July 19604 years, 135 daysSEDGrotewohl
2
Hoffmann, HeinzHeinz Hoffmann
(1910–1985)		14 July 19602 December 1985 †25 years, 141 daysSEDOtto Grotewohl
Willi Stoph
Horst Sindermann
Willi Stoph
3
Kessler, HeinzHeinz Kessler
(1920–2017)		3 December 198518 November 19893 years, 351 daysSEDWilli Stoph
Hans Modrow
4
Hoffmann, TheodorTheodor Hoffmann
(1935–2018)		18 November 198912 April 1990145 daysSEDHans Modrow
5
Eppelmann, RainerRainer Eppelmann
(born 1943)		12 April 19902 October 1990173 daysDALothar de Maizière

Ministers of Defence (Bundesminister der Verteidigung), since 1955
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
Federal Minister for Defence
1
Blank, TheodorTheodor Blank
(1905–1972)		7 June 195516 October 19561 year, 131 daysCDUAdenauer II
2
Strauß, FranzFranz Josef Strauß
(1915–1988)		16 October 195629 December 19615 years, 74 daysCSUAdenauer II – III
Federal Minister of Defence
(2)
Strauß, FranzFranz Josef Strauß
(1915–1988)		30 December 19619 January 19631 year, 10 daysCSUAdenauer IV – V
3
Hassel, Kai-UweKai-Uwe von Hassel
(1913–1997)		9 January 19631 December 19663 years, 326 daysCDUErhard I – II
4
Schröder, GerhardGerhard Schröder
(1910–1989)		1 December 196621 October 19692 years, 324 daysCDUKiesinger I
5
Schmidt, HelmutHelmut Schmidt
(1918–2015)		22 October 19697 July 19722 years, 259 daysSPDBrandt I
6
Leber, GeorgGeorg Leber
(1920–2012)		7 July 197216 February 19785 years, 224 daysSPDBrandt I – II
Schmidt I – II
7
Apel, HansHans Apel
(1932–2011)		17 February 19781 October 19824 years, 226 daysSPDSchmidt II – III
8
Wörner, ManfredManfred Wörner
(1934–1994)		4 October 198218 May 19885 years, 227 daysCDUKohl I – II – III
9
Scholz, RupertRupert Scholz
(born 1937)		18 May 198821 April 1989338 daysCDUKohl III
10
Stoltenberg, GerhardGerhard Stoltenberg
(1928–2001)		21 April 198931 March 19922 years, 345 daysCDUKohl III – IV
11
Rühe, VolkerVolker Rühe
(born 1942)		1 April 199226 October 19986 years, 188 daysCDUKohl IV – V
12
Scharping, RudolfRudolf Scharping
(born 1947)		27 October 199819 July 20023 years, 265 daysSPDSchröder I
13
Struck, PeterPeter Struck
(1943–2012)		19 July 200222 November 20053 years, 126 daysSPDSchröder II
14
Jung, FranzFranz Josef Jung
(born 1949)		22 November 200528 October 20093 years, 340 daysCDUMerkel I
15
Guttenberg, Karl-TheodorKarl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
(born 1971)		28 October 20093 March 20111 year, 126 daysCSUMerkel II
16
Maizière, ThomasThomas de Maizière
(born 1954)		3 March 201117 December 20132 years, 289 daysCDUMerkel II
17
Leyen, UrsulaUrsula von der Leyen
(born 1958)		17 December 201317 July 20195 years, 212 daysCDUMerkel III – IV
18
Kramp, AnnegretAnnegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
(born 1962)		17 July 2019Incumbent347 daysCDUMerkel IV

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.
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