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List of justices of the Federal Constitutional Court facts for kids

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Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F083303-0001, Karlsruhe, Bundesverfassungsgericht, Richter
Dieter Grimm [de], Hermann Heußner [de] and Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde in 1989

The Federal Constitutional Court (also known as the Bundesverfassungsgericht) is Germany's most important court for its constitution. It makes sure that all laws and government actions follow the rules set out in the constitution. This court is super important because it helps protect the rights of everyone in Germany.

Right now, 16 judges work at the court. They are split into two main groups called "senates." This article will tell you about the judges who are currently serving, as well as past presidents and vice-presidents of the court.

Who Are the Judges of Germany's Top Court?

The Federal Constitutional Court has two main groups, or "senates." Each senate handles different kinds of cases. When the court first started, each senate had twelve judges. But since 1963, each senate has eight judges. The head of each senate is either the President or the Vice-President of the entire court.

First Senate Judges

Here are the eight judges currently serving in the First Senate, listed by how long they've been on the court:

Judge Role Who chose them
Stephan Harbarth
(born 1971)		 President and head of the First Senate Bundestag
Yvonne Ott [de]
(born 1963)		 Judge Bundesrat
Josef Christ [de]
(born 1956)		 Judge Bundestag
Henning Radtke [de]
(born 1962)		 Judge Bundesrat
Ines Härtel [de]
(born 1972)		 Judge Bundesrat
Heinrich Amadeus Wolff [de]
(born 1965)		 Judge Bundestag
Martin Eifert [de]
(born 1965)		 Judge Bundestag
Miriam Meßling [de]
(born 1973)		 Judge Bundesrat

Second Senate Judges

Here are the eight judges currently serving in the Second Senate, listed by how long they've been on the court:

Judge Role Who chose them
Doris König
(born 1957)		 Vice-President and head of the Second Senate Bundestag
Ulrich Maidowski [de]
(born 1958)		 Judge Bundestag
Christine Langenfeld
(born 1958)		 Judge Bundesrat
Astrid Wallrabenstein [de]
(born 1969)		 Judge Bundesrat
Rhona Fetzer [de]
(born 1963)		 Judge Bundestag
Thomas Offenloch [de]
(born 1972)		 Judge Bundestag
Peter Frank
(born 1968)		 Judge Bundesrat
Holger Wöckel [de]
(born 1976)		 Judge Bundesrat

Leaders of the Court: Presidents

The President and Vice-President of the Federal Constitutional Court are chosen by the Bundestag (Germany's parliament) and the Bundesrat (a council representing Germany's states). Then, the President of Germany officially appoints them.

Here are the people who have served as President of the court:

President How long they served Who suggested them
Hermann Höpker-Aschoff
(1883–1954)		 1951–1954 FDP
Josef Wintrich
(1891–1958)		 1954–1958 CDU/CSU
Gebhard Müller
(1900–1990)		 1959–1971 CDU/CSU
Ernst Benda
(1925–2009)		 1971–1983 CDU/CSU
Wolfgang Zeidler
(1924–1987)		 1983–1987 SPD
Roman Herzog
(1934–2017)		 1987–1994 CDU/CSU
Jutta Limbach
(1934–2016)		 1994–2002 SPD
Hans-Jürgen Papier
(born 1943)		 2002–2010 CDU/CSU
Andreas Voßkuhle
(born 1963)		 2010–2020 SPD
Stephan Harbarth
(born 1971)		 2020–Still serving CDU/CSU

Leaders of the Court: Vice-Presidents

So far, 15 people have served as Vice-Presidents of the Federal Constitutional Court.

Vice-President How long they served Who suggested them
Rudolf Katz
(1895–1961)		 1951–1961 SPD
Friedrich Wilhelm Wagner [de]
(1894–1971)		 1961–1967 SPD
Walter Seuffert [de]
(1907–1989)		 1967–1975 SPD
Wolfgang Zeidler
(1924–1987)		 1975–1983 SPD
Roman Herzog
(1934–2017)		 1983–1987 CDU/CSU
Ernst Gottfried Mahrenholz [de]
(1929–2021)		 1987–1994 SPD
Jutta Limbach
(1934–2016)		 1994 SPD
Johann Friedrich Henschel [de]
(1931–2007)		 1994–1995 FDP
Otto Seidl
(1931–2022)		 1995–1998 CDU/CSU
Hans-Jürgen Papier
(born 1943)		 1998–2002 CDU/CSU
Winfried Hassemer
(1940–2014)		 2002–2008 SPD
Andreas Voßkuhle
(born 1963)		 2008–2010 SPD
Ferdinand Kirchhof
(born 1950)		 2010–2018 CDU/CSU
Stephan Harbarth
(born 1971)		 2018–2020 CDU/CSU
Doris König
(born 1957)		 2020–Still serving SPD

All Judges of the Federal Constitutional Court

Since the court started in 1951, 118 judges have served there. This includes the Presidents and Vice-Presidents. The shortest time a judge served was only 133 days! The longest-serving judge, Willi Geiger, was on the court for over 26 years.

Judges are chosen by the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. Then, the President of Germany officially appoints them. Each of these two groups chooses half of the judges for the two senates.

Here is a list of all 118 judges, in the order they started their jobs:

Judge Role Senate How long they served Who suggested them
Hermann Höpker-Aschoff
(1883–1954)		 President First Senate 1951–1954 FDP
Gerhard Heiland [de]
(1894–1961)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1961 SPD
Herbert Scholtissek [de]
(1900–1979)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1967 CDU/CSU
Konrad Zweigert [de]
(1900–1996)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1956 SPD
Joachim Lehmann [de]
(1909–1979)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1963 SPD
Erwin Stein [de]
(1903–1992)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1971 SPD
Franz Wessel
(1903–1958)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1958 SPD
Erna Scheffler
(1893–1983)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1963 SPD
Theodor Ritterspach [de]
(1904–1999)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1975 CDU/CSU
Martin Drath [de]
(1902–1976)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1963 SPD
Hans Georg Rupp
(1907–1989)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1975 SPD
Anton Henneka [de]
(1900–1984)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1968 CDU/CSU
Julius Federer [de]
(1911–1984)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1967 CDU/CSU
Gerhard Leibholz [de]
(1901–1982)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1971 CDU/CSU
Conrad Frederick Roediger [de]
(1887–1973)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1956 DP
Walter Klaas [de]
(1895–1978)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1963 SPD
Rudolf Katz
(1895–1961)		 Vice-President Second Senate 1951–1961 SPD
Willi Geiger
(1909–1994)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1977 CDU/CSU
Georg Fröhlich [de]
(1884–1971)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1956 CDU/CSU
Claus Leusser [de]
(1909–1966)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1952 CDU/CSU
Bernhard Wolff [de]
(1886–1966)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1956 SPD
Ernst Friesenhahn [de]
(1901–1984)		 Judge Second Senate 1951–1963 CDU/CSU
Kurt Zweigert [de]
(1886–1967)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1952 CDU/CSU
Wilhelm Ellinghaus [de]
(1888–1961)		 Judge First Senate 1951–1955 SPD
Egon Schunck [de]
(1890–1981)		 Judge Second Senate 1952–1963 CDU/CSU
Josef Wintrich
(1891–1958)		 President First Senate 1954–1958 CDU/CSU
Karl Heck [de]
(1896–1997)		 Judge First Senate 1954–1965 CDU/CSU
Hans Kutscher
(1911–1993)		 Judge First Senate (1955–1956)
Second Senate (1956–1970)		 1955–1970 SPD
Gebhard Müller
(1900–1990)		 President First Senate 1959–1971 CDU/CSU
Hugo Berger [de]
(1900–1990)		 Judge First Senate 1959–1967 SPD
Friedrich Wilhelm Wagner [de]
(1894–1971)		 Vice-President Second Senate 1961–1967 SPD
Karl Haager [de]
(1911–2008)		 Judge First Senate 1962–1979 SPD
Wiltraut Rupp-von Brünneck [de]
(1912–1977)		 Judge First Senate 1963–1977 SPD
Gregor Geller [de]
(1903–1988)		 Judge Second Senate 1963–1971 CDU/CSU
Werner Böhmer [de]
(1915–2014)		 Judge First Senate 1965–1983 CDU/CSU
Wolfgang Zeidler
(1924–1987)		 President (1983–1987)
Vice-President (1975–1983)
Judge (1967–1970)		 First Senate (1967–1970)
Second Senate (1975–1987)		 1967–1970
1975–1987		 SPD
Hans Brox [de]
(1920–2009)		 Judge First Senate 1967–1975 CDU/CSU
Fabian von Schlabrendorff
(1907–1980)		 Judge Second Senate 1967–1975 CDU/CSU
Walter Seuffert [de]
(1907–1989)		 Vice-President Second Senate 1967–1975 SPD
Hans-Justus Rinck [de]
(1918–1995)		 Judge Second Senate 1968–1986 CDU/CSU
Helmut Simon [de]
(1922–2013)		 Judge First Senate 1970–1987 SPD
Walter Rudi Wand
(1928–1985)		 Judge Second Senate 1970–1983 CDU/CSU
Ernst Benda
(1925–2009)		 President First Senate 1971–1983 CDU/CSU
Hans Joachim Faller [de]
(1915–2006)		 Judge First Senate 1971–1983 CDU/CSU
Martin Hirsch [de]
(1913–1992)		 Judge Second Senate 1971–1981 SPD
Joachim Rottmann [de]
(1925–2014)		 Judge Second Senate 1971–1983 FDP
Dietrich Katzenstein [de]
(1923–2008)		 Judge First Senate 1975–1987 CDU/CSU
Konrad Hesse
(1919–2005)		 Judge First Senate 1975–1987 FDP and SPD
Engelbert Niebler [de]
(1921–2006)		 Judge Second Senate 1975–1987 CDU/CSU
Helmut Steinberger [de]
(1931–2014)		 Judge Second Senate 1975–1987 CDU/CSU
Gisela Niemeyer
(1923–2012)		 Judge First Senate 1977–1989 SPD
Ernst Träger
(1926–2015)		 Judge Second Senate 1977–1989 CDU/CSU
Hermann Heußner [de]
(1926–1996)		 Judge First Senate 1979–1989 SPD
Ernst Gottfried Mahrenholz [de]
(1929–2021)		 Vice-President (1987–1994)
Judge (1981–1987)		 Second Senate 1981–1994 SPD
Franz Niedermaier [de]
(1925–1986)		 Judge First Senate 1983–1986 CDU/CSU
Johann Friedrich Henschel [de]
(1931–2007)		 Vice-President (1994–1995)
Judge (1983–1994)		 First Senate 1983–1995 FDP
Roman Herzog
(1934–2017)		 President (1987–1994)
Vice-President (1983–1987)		 First Senate 1983–1994 CDU/CSU
Hans Hugo Klein
(born 1936)		 Judge Second Senate 1983–1996 CDU/CSU
Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde
(1930–2019)		 Judge Second Senate 1983–1996 SPD
Otto Seidl
(1931–2022)		 Vice-President (1995–1998)
Judge (1986–1995)		 First Senate 1986–1998 CDU/CSU
Karin Graßhof
(born 1937)		 Judge Second Senate 1986–1998 SPD
Dieter Grimm [de]
(born 1937)		 Judge First Senate 1987–1999 SPD
Alfred Söllner [de]
(1930–2005)		 Judge First Senate 1987–1995 CDU/CSU
Thomas Dieterich [de]
(1934–2016)		 Judge First Senate 1987–1994 SPD
Everhardt Franßen
(born 1937)		 Judge Second Senate 1987–1991 SPD
Konrad Kruis
(1930–2022)		 Judge Second Senate 1987–1998 CDU/CSU
Paul Kirchhof
(born 1943)		 Judge Second Senate 1987–1999 CDU/CSU
Jürgen Kühling
(1934–2019)		 Judge First Senate 1989–2001 SPD
Helga Seibert
(1939–1999)		 Judge First Senate 1989–1998 SPD
Klaus Winter
(1936–2000)		 Judge Second Senate 1989–2000 CDU/CSU
Bertold Sommer [de]
(born 1937)		 Judge Second Senate 1991–2003 SPD
Renate Jaeger
(born 1940)		 Judge First Senate 1994–2004 SPD
Jutta Limbach
(1934–2016)		 President (1994–2002)
Vice-President (1994)		 Second Senate 1994–2002 SPD
Evelyn Haas
(born 1949)		 Judge First Senate 1994–2006 CDU/CSU
Udo Steiner
(born 1939)		 Judge First Senate 1995–2007 CDU/CSU
Dieter Hömig [de]
(1938–2016)		 Judge First Senate 1995–2006 FDP
Hans-Joachim Jentsch
(1937–2021)		 Judge Second Senate 1996–2005 CDU/CSU
Winfried Hassemer
(1940–2014)		 Vice-President (2002–2008)
Judge (1996–2002)		 Second Senate 1996–2008 SPD
Hans-Jürgen Papier
(born 1943)		 President (2002–2010)
Vice-President (1998–2002)		 First Senate 1998–2010 CDU/CSU
Siegfried Broß [de]
(born 1946)		 Judge Second Senate 1998–2010 CDU/CSU
Lerke Osterloh
(born 1944)		 Judge Second Senate 1998–2010 SPD
Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt
(born 1950)		 Judge First Senate 1999–2011 SPD
Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem
(born 1940)		 Judge First Senate 1999–2008 SPD
Udo Di Fabio
(born 1954)		 Judge Second Senate 1999–2011 CDU/CSU
Brun-Otto Bryde
(born 1943)		 Judge First Senate 2001–2011 Alliance 90/The Greens
Rudolf Mellinghoff
(born 1954)		 Judge Second Senate 2001–2011 CDU/CSU
Gertrude Lübbe-Wolff
(born 1953)		 Judge Second Senate 2002–2014 SPD
Michael Gerhardt [de]
(born 1948)		 Judge Second Senate 2003–2014 SPD
Reinhard Gaier [de]
(born 1954)		 Judge First Senate 2004–2016 SPD
Herbert Landau [de]
(born 1948)		 Judge Second Senate 2005–2016 CDU/CSU
Michael Eichberger
(born 1953)		 Judge First Senate 2006–2018 CDU/CSU
Wilhelm Schluckebier [de]
(born 1949)		 Judge First Senate 2006–2017 CDU/CSU
Ferdinand Kirchhof
(born 1949)		 Vice-President (2010–2018)
Judge (2007–2010)		 First Senate 2007–2018 CDU/CSU
Johannes Masing
(born 1959)		 Judge First Senate 2008–2020 SPD
Andreas Voßkuhle
(born 1963)		 President (2010–2020)
Vice-President (2008–2010)		 Second Senate 2008–2020 SPD
Andreas Paulus
(born 1963)		 Judge First Senate 2010–2022 FDP
Monika Hermanns [de]
(born 1959)		 Judge Second Senate 2010–2023 SPD
Peter M. Huber [de]
(born 1959)		 Judge Second Senate 2010–2023 CDU/CSU
Susanne Baer
(born 1964)		 Judge First Senate 2011–2023 Alliance 90/The Greens
Gabriele Britz
(born 1968)		 Judge First Senate 2011–2023 SPD
Peter Müller
(born 1955)		 Judge Second Senate 2011–2023 CDU/CSU
Sibylle Kessal-Wulf [de]
(born 1958)		 Judge Second Senate 2011–2023 CDU/CSU
Doris König
(born 1957)		 Vice President (2020–Still serving)
Judge (2014–2020)		 Second Senate 2014–Still serving SPD
Ulrich Maidowski [de]
(born 1958)		 Judge Second Senate 2014–Still serving SPD
Christine Langenfeld
(born 1958)		 Judge Second Senate 2016–Still serving CDU/CSU
Yvonne Ott [de]
(born 1963)		 Judge First Senate 2016–Still serving SPD
Josef Christ [de]
(born 1956)		 Judge First Senate 2017–Still serving CDU/CSU
Henning Radtke [de]
(born 1962)		 Judge First Senate 2018–Still serving CDU/CSU
Stephan Harbarth
(born 1971)		 President (2020–Still serving)
Vice-President (2018–2020)		 First Senate 2018–Still serving CDU/CSU
Astrid Wallrabenstein [de]
(born 1969)		 Judge Second Senate 2020–Still serving Alliance 90/The Greens
Ines Härtel [de]
(born 1972)		 Judge First Senate 2020–Still serving SPD
Heinrich Amadeus Wolff [de]
(born 1965)		 Judge First Senate 2022–Still serving FDP
Rhona Fetzer [de]
(born 1963)		 Judge Second Senate 2023–Still serving SPD
Thomas Offenloch [de]
(born 1972)		 Judge Second Senate 2023–Still serving FDP
Martin Eifert [de]
(born 1965)		 Judge First Senate 2023–Still serving Alliance 90/The Greens
Miriam Meßling [de]
(born 1973)		 Judge First Senate 2023–Still serving SPD
Peter Frank
(born 1968)		 Judge Second Senate 2023–Still serving CDU/CSU
Holger Wöckel [de]
(born 1976)		 Judge Second Senate 2023–Still serving CDU/CSU

Images for kids

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    Stephan Harbarth

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    Christine Langenfeld

  • Generalbundesanwalt Dr. Peter Frank bei einer Veranstaltung der Fränkischen Nachrichten in Tauberbischofsheim. 04

    Peter Frank

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F050215-0005, Hermann Höpker-Aschoff

    Hermann Höpker-Aschoff

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F050216-0037, Josef Wintrich

    Josef Wintrich

  • Gebhard Müller

    Gebhard Müller

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F041440-0013, Hamburg, CDU-Bundesparteitag, Ernst Benda

    Ernst Benda

  • Jutta Limbach

    Jutta Limbach

  • 2014-01-08 Hans-Jürgen Papier 5150-cropped

    Hans-Jürgen Papier

  • 2016-10-03 Andreas Voßkuhle (Tag der Deutschen Einheit 2016 in Dresden) by Sandro Halank

    Andreas Voßkuhle

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F050215-0004, Rudolf Katz

    Rudolf Katz

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F080600-0029, Bundesverfassungsgericht, Richter Mahrenholz

    Ernst Gottfried Mahrenholz [de]

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F050216-0017, Franz Wessel

    Franz Wessel

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F050216-0020, Hans Rupp

    Hans Georg Rupp

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F050216-0007, Wilhelm Ellinghaus

    Wilhelm Ellinghaus [de]

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F052195-0005, Bundesverfassungsgericht, Richter Walter Rudi Wand

    Walter Rudi Wand

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F052191-0016, Bundesverfassungsgericht Richterin Gisela Niemeyer

    Gisela Niemeyer

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F080597-0002, Bundesverfassungsgericht, Richterin Karin Graßhof

    Karin Graßhof

  • Dieter Grimm

    Dieter Grimm [de]

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F080599-0032, Bundesverfassungsgericht, Richter Franßen

    Everhardt Franßen

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F080599-0026, Bundesverfassungsgericht, Richter Konrad Kruis

    Konrad Kruis

  • 2018-10-14 Buchvorstellung Ohne Familie ist kein Staat zu machen im Erbacher Hof 0419

    Paul Kirchhof

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F083316-0007, Bundesverfassungsgericht, Richterin Helga Seibert

    Helga Seibert

  • Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F083317-0005, Bundesverfassungsgericht, Richter Klaus Winter

    Klaus Winter

  • Udo Di Fabio Frankfurter Buchmesse 2018

    Udo Di Fabio

  • Richter Johannes Masing 2014 (cropped)

    Johannes Masing

  • KAS-Müller, Peter-Bild-35987-1 (retouched)

    Peter Müller

  • Susanne-Baer-nk10

    Susanne Baer

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