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Federal Minister of Defence
Flag of Germany (state).svg
Bundesadler Bundesorgane.svg
Boris Pistorius (2019) (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Boris Pistorius

since 19 January 2023
Federal Ministry of Defence
Reports to The Federal Chancellor
Appointer The President, upon advice of the Federal Chancellor
Formation 13 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.

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. Conversely, when a state of defence is declared, the Federal Chancellor becomes commander-in-chief. 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.

List of officeholders

Ministers of Defence, 1919–1935

No. Portrait Minister of Defence Took office Left office Time in office Party Cabinet
1
Gustav Noske
Noske, GustavGustav Noske
(1868–1946)
13 February 1919 22 March 1920 1 year, 38 days SPD Scheidemann
Bauer
2
Otto Gessler
Gessler, OttoOtto Gessler
(1875–1955)
27 March 1920 19 January 1928 7 years, 298 days DDP Müller 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 1928 30 May 1932 4 years, 132 days Independent Marx IV
Müller II
Brüning I−II
4
Kurt von Schleicher
Schleicher, KurtKurt von Schleicher
(1882–1934)
1 June 1932 28 January 1933 243 days Independent Papen
Schleicher
5
Werner von Blomberg
Blomberg, WernerWerner von Blomberg
(1878–1946)
28 January 1933 21 May 1935 2 years, 113 days Independent Schleicher
Hitler

Minister of War, 1935–1938

No. Portrait Minister of War Took office Left office Time in office Party Cabinet
1
Werner von Blomberg
Blomberg, WernerWerner von Blomberg
(1878–1946)
21 May 1935 27 January 1938 2 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.

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

No. Portrait Chief of the OKW Took office Left office Time in office Party Cabinet
1
Wilhelm Keitel
Keitel, WilhelmWilhelm Keitel
(1882–1946)
4 February 1938 12 May 1945 7 years, 93 days Independent Hitler
Goebbels
Schwerin von Krosigk

Ministers of Defence of the GDR, 1956–1990

No. Portrait Minister of Defence Took office Left office Time in office Party Chairman
1
Willi Stoph
Stoph, WilliWilli Stoph
(1914–1999)
1 March 1956 14 July 1960 4 years, 135 days SED Grotewohl
2
Heinz Hoffmann
Hoffmann, HeinzHeinz Hoffmann
(1910–1985)
14 July 1960 2 December 1985 † 25 years, 141 days SED Grotewohl
Stoph
Sindermann
Stoph
3
Heinz Kessler
Kessler, HeinzHeinz Kessler
(1920–2017)
3 December 1985 18 November 1989 3 years, 351 days SED Stoph
Modrow
4
Theodor Hoffmann
Hoffmann, TheodorTheodor Hoffmann
(1935–2018)
18 November 1989 12 April 1990 145 days SED Modrow
5
Rainer Eppelmann
Eppelmann, RainerRainer Eppelmann
(born 1943)
12 April 1990 2 October 1990 173 days DA de Maizière

Ministers of Defence (Bundesminister der Verteidigung), since 1955

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Party Cabinet
1
Theodor Blank
Blank, TheodorTheodor Blank
(1905–1972)
7 June 1955 16 October 1956 1 year, 131 days CDU Adenauer II
2
Franz Josef Strauß
Strauß, FranzFranz Josef Strauß
(1915–1988)
16 October 1956 9 January 1963 6 years, 85 days CSU Adenauer II–V
3
Kai-Uwe von Hassel
Hassel, Kai-UweKai-Uwe von Hassel
(1913–1997)
9 January 1963 1 December 1966 3 years, 326 days CDU Erhard I–II
4
Gerhard Schröder
Schröder, GerhardGerhard Schröder
(1910–1989)
1 December 1966 21 October 1969 2 years, 324 days CDU Kiesinger I
5
Helmut Schmidt
Schmidt, HelmutHelmut Schmidt
(1918–2015)
22 October 1969 7 July 1972 2 years, 259 days SPD Brandt I
6
Georg Leber
Leber, GeorgGeorg Leber
(1920–2012)
7 July 1972 16 February 1978 5 years, 224 days SPD Brandt I–II
Schmidt I–II
7
Hans Apel
Apel, HansHans Apel
(1932–2011)
17 February 1978 1 October 1982 4 years, 226 days SPD Schmidt II–III
8
Manfred Wörner
Wörner, ManfredManfred Wörner
(1934–1994)
4 October 1982 18 May 1988 5 years, 227 days CDU Kohl I–II–III
9
Rupert Scholz
Scholz, RupertRupert Scholz
(born 1937)
18 May 1988 21 April 1989 338 days CDU Kohl III
10
Gerhard Stoltenberg
Stoltenberg, GerhardGerhard Stoltenberg
(1928–2001)
21 April 1989 31 March 1992 2 years, 345 days CDU Kohl III–IV
11
Volker Rühe
Rühe, VolkerVolker Rühe
(born 1942)
1 April 1992 26 October 1998 6 years, 188 days CDU Kohl IV–V
12
Rudolf Scharping
Scharping, RudolfRudolf Scharping
(born 1947)
27 October 1998 19 July 2002 3 years, 265 days SPD Schröder I
13
Peter Struck
Struck, PeterPeter Struck
(1943–2012)
19 July 2002 22 November 2005 3 years, 126 days SPD Schröder II
14
Franz Josef Jung
Jung, FranzFranz Josef Jung
(born 1949)
22 November 2005 28 October 2009 3 years, 340 days CDU Merkel I
15
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
Guttenberg, Karl-TheodorKarl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
(born 1971)
28 October 2009 3 March 2011 1 year, 126 days CSU Merkel II
16
Thomas de Maizière
Maizière, ThomasThomas de Maizière
(born 1954)
3 March 2011 17 December 2013 2 years, 289 days CDU Merkel II
17
Ursula von der Leyen
Leyen, UrsulaUrsula von der Leyen
(born 1958)
17 December 2013 17 July 2019 5 years, 212 days CDU Merkel III–IV
18
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
Kramp, AnnegretAnnegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
(born 1962)
17 July 2019 8 December 2021 2 years, 144 days CDU Merkel IV
19
Christine Lambrecht
Lambrecht, ChristineChristine Lambrecht
(born 1965)
8 December 2021 19 January 2023 1 year, 42 days SPD Scholz
20
Boris Pistorius
Pistorius, BorisBoris Pistorius
(born 1960)
19 January 2023 Incumbent 1 year, 319 days SPD Scholz
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