List of mayors of Berlin facts for kids
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and also a special kind of state, called a city-state. The person in charge of Berlin's government is like a mayor, but their title has changed over the years. This article lists the important leaders who have guided Berlin through different times in history. These leaders are a key part of Berlin's government, known as the senate of Berlin.
Contents
Leaders of Berlin
Berlin Under French Rule (1806–1809)
In 1806, during the time of the French Empire, French forces took control of Berlin. They gathered about 2,000 wealthy citizens in St. Peter's Church to choose a "Grand Council." This council then picked a smaller "Administrative Committee" of seven people. This committee was the temporary city government. Their main job was to follow the orders of the French, especially to collect money from the citizens to pay for the war. The leader of this committee was a Prussian publisher based in Berlin.
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Time in Office | Political Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Started | Ended | Days | ||||
1 | ![]() |
François Théodore de Lagarde (1756–1824) |
October 27, 1806 | July 6, 1809 | 983 | Unknown |
Lord Mayors of Royal Berlin (1809–1920)
After the French left, Berlin became the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia. The city's main leader was called the Lord Mayor. This period saw many changes in Germany, including the creation of the German Empire in 1871. Berlin remained a very important city throughout these times.
Political party: Independent SPD
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Time in Office | Political Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Started | Ended | Days | ||||
Kingdom of Prussia (until 1867) | ||||||
Berlin was the capital city of the Kingdom of Prussia. | ||||||
1 | ![]() |
Leopold von Gerlach (1757–1813) |
July 6, 1809 | June 8, 1813 | 1433 | Non-partisan |
2 | ![]() |
Johann Gottfried Büsching (1761–1833) |
February 1814 | March 1832 | 6603 | Non-partisan |
3 | ![]() |
Friedrich von Bärensprung (1779–1841) |
March 1832 | October 6, 1834 | 949 | Non-partisan |
4 | ![]() |
Wilhelm Krausnick (1797–1882) |
October 6, 1834 | March 20, 1848 | 4914 | Non-partisan |
– | ![]() |
Franz Christian Naunyn (1799–1860) Acting |
March 20, 1848 | January 23, 1851 | 1039 | Non-partisan |
(4) | ![]() |
Wilhelm Krausnick (1797–1882) |
January 23, 1851 | December 30, 1862 | 4359 | Non-partisan |
5 | ![]() |
Karl Theodor Seydel (1812–1873) |
January 12, 1863 | January 18, 1871 | 1492 | Non-partisan |
German Empire (1867–1918) | ||||||
Berlin was the capital city of the Kingdom of Prussia, which became part of the German Reich in 1871. | ||||||
(5) | ![]() |
Karl Theodor Seydel (1812–1873) |
January 18, 1871 | April 1, 1872 | 439 | Non-partisan |
6 | ![]() |
Arthur Hobrecht (1824–1912) |
May 16, 1872 | April 1, 1878 | 2146 | National Liberal Party |
7 | ![]() |
Max von Forckenbeck (1824–1892) |
November 21, 1878 | May 26, 1892 | 4935 | National Liberal Party |
8 | ![]() |
Robert Zelle (1829–1901) |
September 26, 1892 | September 30, 1898 | 2191 | Free-minded People's Party |
9 | Martin Kirschner (1842–1912) |
December 23, 1899 | August 31, 1912 | 4634 | Non-partisan | |
10 | Adolf Wermuth (1855–1927) |
September 1, 1912 | November 9, 1918 | 2260 | Non-partisan |
Lord Mayors of Greater Berlin (1918–1935)
After World War I, Germany became the Weimar Republic. Berlin grew into "Greater Berlin," combining many surrounding towns and villages. The city's leader was still called the Lord Mayor. This period was a time of big changes and challenges for Germany.
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Time in Office | Political Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Started | Ended | Days | ||||
Weimar Republic (1918–1933) | ||||||
Berlin was the capital city of the Weimar Republic. | ||||||
(10) | Adolf Wermuth (1855–1927) |
November 9, 1918 | October 1, 1920 | 692 | Non-partisan | |
(10) | Adolf Wermuth (1855–1927) |
October 1, 1920 | November 30, 1920 | 60 | Non-partisan | |
11 | Gustav Böß (1873–1946) |
February 10, 1921 | November 7, 1929 | 3192 | German Democratic Party | |
– | ![]() |
Arthur Scholtz (1871–1935) Acting |
November 7, 1929 | April 20, 1931 | 692 | German People's Party |
12 | ![]() |
Heinrich Sahm (1877–1939) |
April 20, 1931 | January 30, 1933 | 651 | Non-partisan |
Nazi Germany (1933–1945) | ||||||
Berlin was the capital city of the Weimar Republic. | ||||||
(12) | ![]() |
Heinrich Sahm (1877–1939) |
January 30, 1933 | January 30, 1935 | 730 | Non-partisan (until 1933) Nazi Party (from 1933) |
City President of Berlin (1935–1945)
During the time of Nazi Germany, the government changed how cities were run. The main administrative leader of Berlin was now called the "City President." The title of "Lord Mayor" still existed but became more of a ceremonial role, meaning it was mostly for show and less about actual power.
Political party: NSDAP
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Time in Office | Political Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Started | Ended | Days | ||||
Nazi Germany (1933–1945) | ||||||
Berlin was the capital city of Nazi Germany. | ||||||
(12) | ![]() |
Heinrich Sahm (1877–1939) |
January 30, 1935 | December 18, 1935 | 322 | Nazi Party |
– | ![]() |
Oskar Maretzky (1881–1945) Acting |
December 19, 1935 | January 5, 1937 | 383 | Nazi Party (Not party-member) |
13 | ![]() |
Julius Lippert (1895–1956) |
January 5, 1937 | July 1, 1940 | 1273 | Nazi Party |
14 | ![]() |
Ludwig Steeg (1894–1945) |
July 1, 1940 | May 2, 1945 | 1766 | Nazi Party |
Lord Mayors Under Allied Control (1945–1948)
After World War II, Berlin was divided and controlled by four Allied powers: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union. The city's government was set up again, and the leader was once more called the "Lord Mayor." This was a challenging time as the city recovered from the war and faced new divisions.
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Time in Office | Political Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Started | Ended | Days | ||||
Berlin under quadripartite Allied control (1945–1948) | ||||||
15 | ![]() |
Arthur Werner (1877–1967) |
May 17, 1945 | December 10, 1946 | 572 | Non-partisan |
16 | ![]() |
Otto Ostrowski (1883–1963) |
December 10, 1946 | June 11, 1947 | 183 | Social Democratic Party |
– | ![]() |
Louise Schroeder (1887–1957) Acting |
June 11, 1947 | August 14, 1948 | 430 | Social Democratic Party |
– | ![]() |
Ferdinand Friedensburg (1886–1972) Acting for Schroeder |
August 14, 1948 | December 1, 1948 | 109 | Christian Democratic Union |
– | ![]() |
Louise Schroeder (1887–1957) Acting |
December 1, 1948 | December 7, 1948 | 6 | Social Democratic Party |
17 | ![]() |
Ernst Reuter (1889–1953) (West Berlin only) |
December 7, 1948 | February 1, 1951 | 786 | Social Democratic Party |
Lord Mayors of East Berlin (1948–1990)
After the Allied occupation, Berlin was formally split into East and West Berlin. East Berlin became the capital of East Germany. The city's leader was called the Lord Mayor. This period lasted until Germany was reunified.
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Time in Office | Political Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Started | Ended | Days | ||||
East Berlin (1948–1949) | ||||||
East Berlin was under Soviet occupation and was fully controlled by them from November 1948 until the founding of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). | ||||||
1 | ![]() |
Friedrich Ebert Jr. (1894–1979) |
November 30, 1948 | October 7, 1949 | 311 | Socialist Unity Party |
East Berlin (1948–1990) | ||||||
East Berlin was the capital city of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). | ||||||
(1) | ![]() |
Friedrich Ebert Jr. (1894–1979) |
October 7, 1949 | July 5, 1967 | 6480 | Socialist Unity Party |
2 | ![]() |
Herbert Fechner (1913–1998) |
July 5, 1967 | February 11, 1974 | 2413 | Socialist Unity Party |
3 | ![]() |
Erhard Krack (1931–2000) |
February 11, 1974 | February 15, 1990 | 5848 | Socialist Unity Party |
– | ![]() |
Ingrid Pankraz (born 1948) Acting |
February 15, 1990 | February 23, 1990 | 8 | Party of Democratic Socialism |
4 | ![]() |
Christian Hartenhauer (born 1948) |
February 23, 1990 | May 30, 1990 | 96 | Party of Democratic Socialism |
5 | ![]() |
Tino Schwierzina (1927–2003) |
May 30, 1990 | October 3, 1990 | 126 | Social Democratic Party in the GDR |
East Berlin was reunited with West Berlin on October 3, 1990 and dissolved. |
Governing Mayors of Berlin (1951–Present)
Governing Mayor of Berlin West Berlin was closely linked to West Germany. Its leader was called the "Governing Mayor." This title continued after Berlin was reunified in 1990, becoming the leader of the entire city-state. The Governing Mayor is the head of the Berlin government today.
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Time in Office | Political Party | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Started | Ended | Days | |||||
West Berlin (1948–1990) | |||||||
West Berlin was part of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). | |||||||
1 | ![]() |
Ernst Reuter (1889–1953) |
February 1, 1951 | September 29, 1953 | 971 | Social Democratic Party | |
2 | ![]() |
Walther Schreiber (1884–1958) |
September 29, 1953 | January 11, 1955 | 469 | Christian Democratic Union | |
3 | ![]() |
Otto Suhr (1894–1957) |
January 11, 1955 | August 30, 1957 (died in office) |
962 | Social Democratic Party | |
4 | ![]() |
Willy Brandt (1913–1992) |
October 3, 1957 | December 1, 1966 | 3346 | Social Democratic Party | |
5 | ![]() |
Heinrich Albertz (1915–1993) |
December 1, 1966 | October 19, 1967 | 322 | Social Democratic Party | |
6 | ![]() |
Klaus Schütz (1926–2012) |
October 19, 1967 | May 2, 1977 | 3483 | Social Democratic Party | |
7 | ![]() |
Dietrich Stobbe (1938–2011) |
May 2, 1978 | January 23, 1981 | 1362 | Social Democratic Party | |
8 | ![]() |
Hans-Jochen Vogel (1926–2020) |
January 23, 1981 | June 11, 1981 | 139 | Social Democratic Party | |
9 | ![]() |
Richard von Weizsäcker (1920–2015) |
June 11, 1981 | February 9, 1984 | 973 | Christian Democratic Union | |
10 | ![]() |
Eberhard Diepgen (born 1941) |
February 9, 1984 | March 16, 1989 | 1862 | Christian Democratic Union | |
11 | ![]() |
Walter Momper (born 1945) |
March 16, 1989 | January 24, 1991 | 565 | Social Democratic Party | |
West Berlin was reunited with East Berlin on October 3, 1990 and dissolved. | |||||||
Reunified Berlin (1990–present) | |||||||
Berlin is now a city-state and the capital city of the Federal Republic of Germany. | |||||||
![]() |
Walter Momper (born 1945) & Tino Schwierzina (1927–2003) |
October 3, 1990 | January 24, 1991 | 113 | Social Democratic Party | ||
12 (10) |
![]() |
Eberhard Diepgen (born 1941) |
January 24, 1991 | June 16, 2001 | 3796 | Christian Democratic Union | |
13 | ![]() |
Klaus Wowereit (born 1953) |
June 16, 2001 | December 11, 2014 | 4926 | Social Democratic Party | |
14 | ![]() |
Michael Müller (born 1964) |
December 11, 2014 | December 21, 2021 | 2567 | Social Democratic Party | |
15 | ![]() |
Franziska Giffey (born 1978) |
December 21, 2021 | April 27, 2023 | 492 | Social Democratic Party | |
16 | ![]() |
Kai Wegner (born 1972) |
April 27, 2023 | Incumbent | 822 | Christian Democratic Union |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Alcaldes de Berlín para niños