Federal Minister for Special Affairs of Germany facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Germany Federal Minister for Special Affairs
Incumbent Wolfgang Schmidt since 8 December 2021
German Chancellery
Formation	6 October 1953
First holder	Franz Josef Strauß

A Federal Minister for Special Affairs (in German: Bundesminister für besondere Aufgaben) is a special member of the German government. This person is a minister without portfolio. This means they are a minister but do not lead a specific government department, like the Ministry of Finance or Education. Instead, they handle tasks given to them directly by the Chancellor.

What Does a Minister for Special Affairs Do?

Early Ministers for Special Affairs were given many different jobs by the Chancellor. For example, Robert Tillmanns, one of the first ministers, helped the government work with the Bundestag, which is Germany's parliament. Other ministers handled things like helping small businesses, managing water, or dealing with defense matters. Sometimes, they even helped the Vice-Chancellor of Germany.

How the Role Has Changed

Since 1964, the way this title is used has changed. Now, the title is often given to the Chief of Staff of the Chancellery. This person is like the main manager of the Chancellor's office. Giving them the minister title allows them to vote in important government meetings.

Even if they don't have the official minister title, people often call the Chief of Staff of the Chancellery the "Minister of the Chancellery" (Kanzleramtsminister). Historically, some people appointed to this special minister role were important helpers to the Chancellor. Others were politicians waiting to be given a specific department to lead. Sometimes, they represented certain political parties or regions of Germany.

Special Cases: German Reunification

A good example of this happened after German reunification in 1990. When East and West Germany became one country again, some members of the last East German government became Federal Ministers for Special Affairs. This included people like Sabine Bergmann-Pohl, who was the head of East Germany's parliament. These appointments helped make sure that the new parts of Germany (called the New States) had a voice in the new united German government.

List of Federal Ministers for Special Affairs

Political Party:       CSU       CDU       SPD       FDP

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of Office			Political Party
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
		Franz Josef Strauß (1915–1988)	6 October 1953	12 October 1955	2 years, 6 days	Christian Social Union
		Robert Tillmanns (1896–1955)	20 October 1953	12 November 1955 (died in office)	2 years, 23 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Waldemar Kraft (1898–1977)	20 October 1953	12 October 1955	2 years, 23 days	All-German Bloc/ League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights
		Hermann Schäfer (1892–1966)	20 October 1953	16 October 1956	2 years, 362 days	Free Democratic Party
		Heinrich Krone (1895–1989)	14 November 1961	30 November 1966	5 years, 16 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Ludger Westrick (1894–1990)	16 June 1964	30 November 1966	2 years, 167 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Horst Ehmke (1927–2017)	22 October 1969	15 December 1972	3 years, 54 days	Social Democratic Party
		Werner Maihofer (1918–2009)	15 December 1972	16 May 1974	1 year, 152 days	Free Democratic Party
		Egon Bahr (1922–2015)	15 December 1972	16 May 1974	1 year, 152 days	Social Democratic Party
		Wolfgang Schäuble (1942-2023)	15 November 1984	21 April 1989	4 years, 157 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Rudolf Seiters (born 1937)	21 April 1989	26 November 1991	2 years, 219 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Hans Klein (1931–1996)	26 November 1989	20 December 1990	1 year, 24 days	Christian Social Union
		Lothar de Maizière (born 1940)	3 October 1990	19 December 1990	77 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Sabine Bergmann-Pohl (born 1946)	3 October 1990	17 January 1991	106 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Günther Krause (born 1953)	3 October 1990	17 January 1991	106 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Rainer Ortleb (born 1944)	3 October 1990	17 January 1991	106 days	Free Democratic Party
		Hansjoachim Walther (1939–2005)	3 October 1990	17 January 1991	106 days	German Social Union
		Friedrich Bohl (born 1945)	26 November 1991	27 October 1998	7 years, 283 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Bodo Hombach (born 1952)	27 October 1998	7 July 1999	253 days	Social Democratic Party
		Thomas de Maizière (born 1954)	22 November 2005	27 October 2009	3 years, 339 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Ronald Pofalla (born 1959)	28 October 2009	17 December 2013	4 years, 50 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Peter Altmaier (born 1958)	17 December 2013	14 March 2018	4 years, 87 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Helge Braun (born 1972)	14 March 2018	8 December 2021	3 years, 269 days	Christian Democratic Union
		Wolfgang Schmidt (born 1970)	8 December 2021	Incumbent	3 years, 192 days	Social Democratic Party