Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Federal Republic of
Germany/Bundesrepublik Deutschland
(Female suffrage 1918)

The Holy Roman Empire lasted 902-1806, 1806-66 the German Confederation consisted of a number of sovereign states and minor states. 1866 the North German Federation was established, the German Empire, lasted 1871-1918 before becoming a republic, but the name of the state remained Deutscher Reich until 1945 when it became a federal republic.

Also see Germany Parliament and East Germany Ministers

1957-59 State Secretary for Family and Youth Prof. Dr.phil et nat. Gabrielle Wülker 
(b. 1911-)
.

1961-66 Federal Minister of Health Dr.teol. Elisabeth Schwarzhaupt
Member of the Federal Assembly 1953-69 and Member of the CDU-leadership 1957-61. She lived (1901-86).

1966-72 Federal Minister of Health Käte Strobel
1969-72 Federal Minister of Family and Youth
In 1962-64 Vice-President of the European Parliament , 1964-66 President of the Socialist Group of the European Parliament.
She lived (
1907-96).

1966-69 Federal Minister of Family and Youth Aenne Brauksiepe
In 1964-68 Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group, 1967-76 Deputy Chairperson of Christliche Democratische Union (CDU).
She lived (1912-97).

1969-72 Parliamentary State Secretary for Economic Co-operation Brigitte Freyh
MP for SPD (b. 1924-).

1969-72 Parliamentary State Secretary by The Federal Chancellor Dr. Katharina Focke
1972-76 Federal Minister of Family and Health
Member of the Landtag of
Nordhrein-Westphalen 1966-69, of the Federal Assembly 1969-80 and of the European Parliament 1979-89. (b. 1922-).

1969-72 Parliamentary State Secretary for Education and Science Dr. Dr. Hildegard Hamm-Brücher       
1977-82 State Minister for Foreign Affairs
1994 Presidential Candidate       
In 1967-69 Minister of Culture and Education in Hessen, 1972-76 Deputy Chairperson of Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP, the liberal party. (b. 1921-)
.

1974-77 Parliamentary State Secretary by The Federal Chancellor Marie Schlei
1977-82 Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Aid
SPD Parliamentarian, she lived (1918-83).

1976-82 Federal Minister of Youth, Family and Health Antje Huber
SPD Parliamentarian (b. 1924-).

1977-80 State Secretary of Labour and Social Affairs Anke Fuchs
1980-82 Parliamentary State Secretary of Labour and Social Affairs
1982 Federal Minister of Youth, Family and Health
In 1983-87 and 1993- Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group, 1987-91 1. Parliamentary Secretary General of Socialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD), 1998-2002 Vice-President of the Bundestag. (b. 1937-)
.

1982-87 Federal Minister of Education and Science Prof. Dr. Dorothee Wilms
1987-91 Federal Minister of Intra-German Relations
In 1974-75 Deputy Parliamentary Secretary General, 1980-82 Secretary General of CDU/CSU Faction.
(b. 1929-).

1982-87 Parliamentary State Secretary of Family, Youth and Health Irmgard Karwatzki
1987-89 Parliamentary State Secretary of Education
1994-98 Parliamentary State Secretary of Finance for Budget Affairs
Member of the Federal Assembly from 1976, Oberbürgermeisterin (Mayor) of Duisburg 1979-83 and Deputy Chairperson of CDU in
Nordrhein-Westfalens 1981-98. (b. 1940-).

1984-88 Federal Minister of Youth, Family and Health Prof. Dr. Rita Süßmuth
1988-98 President of the Bundestag (Federal Assembly)
In 1987-91 Vice-Chairperson of CDU. (b. 1937-)
.

1987-89 (†) Parliamentary State Secretary by the Federal Chancellor and Representative of the Government in Berlin Liselotte Berger
CDU-Parliamentarian 1970-89, she lived (1920-89).

1987-91 State Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Irmgard Adam-Schwaetzer
1991-94 Federal Minister of Urban Planning, Housing and Construction
1992 Appointed Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs
In 1982-84 Secretary General, 1984-87 Treasurer, 1987-94 Deputy Chairperson of FDP, 1988 candidate for Party Chairperson and in 1991 as Group Chairperson. 1992 she was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, but it was rejected by the parliamentary group and her appointment was revoked, and finally in 1994 she resigned all party-posts after the group rejected her as Vice-President of the Parliament
even though she was chairperson of the Local FDP Branch of Aachen 1997-2002. (b. 1942- ).

1987-91 Parliamentary State Secretary of Defence Agnes Hürland-Brüning
In 1983-87 Deputy Parliamentary Secretary General, 1987 Parliamentary Secretary General of CDU. (b. 1926-)
.

1988-92 Federal Minister of Youth, Family and Health Prof. Ursula Lehr
(b. 1930-).

1989-91 Federal Minister of Urban Planning, Housing and Construction Gerda Hasselfeldt
1991-92 Federal Minister of Health
From 20002 Deputy Chairperson of the CDU/CSU Faction in the Federal Assembly. And
Vice-President of the Bundestag from 2005. (b. 1951-).

1990-91 Federal Minister without Portfolio for the New Bundesstates Dr. Sabine Bergmann-Pohl
1991-98 Parliamentary State Secretary of Health
In 1990 she was President of the People's Chamber and Acting Head of State of the German Democratic Republic, DDR/GDR. Member of the Bundestag for CDU 1991-20002. (b. 1946-)
.

1991-94 Federal Minister of Family and Seniors Hannelore Rönsch      
Since 1994 Deputy Chairperson of the CDU/CSU Faction of the Bundestag.
(b. 1942-).

1991-94 Federal Minister Women and Youth Dr. Angela Merkel
1994-98 Federal Minister of Environment, Protection of Nature and Reactor Safety
2005- Federal Chancellor
In 1990 Deputy Spokesperson of the Government of the DDR, 1990-98 Deputy Chairperson of CDU, 1993-2000 Chairperson of CDU in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 1998-2000 Federal Secretary General and since 2000 Federal Chairperson of CDU and from 2002 also Parliamentary Leader.
In October 2005 nominated as designate Chief of a coalition government between the CDU and SPD. First half of 2007 she is Chairperson of the European Council and member of the EU-Troyka in the second half, and President of the Group of Eight, G-8 the whole year. Née Kasner and married secondly to Joachim Sauer, no children. (b. 1954-).

1991-94 State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ursula Seiler-Albring
In 1987-91 Parliamentary Secretary General of the FDP, 1995-99 Ambassador to Austria and the United Nations in Wien
, from 1999 to Bulgaria and later to Hungary. (b. 1943-).

1991-93 Parliamentary State Secretary of Economic Co-operation and Development Michaela Geiger
1993-97 Parliamentary State Secretary of Defence
Vice-President of the Bundestag 1997-98
, and lived (1943-98).

1991-94 Parliamentary State Secretary of Family and Seniors Roswitha Verhülsdonk
Deputy Parliamentary Secretary General of the CDU 1991-98 and from 1994 President of the Central Committee of Union of German Catholics.
(b. 1927-).

1992-95 Federal Minister of Justice Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
From 2000 chairperson of FDP in Bayern and 2001-02 Deputy Chairperson of the FDP Faction in the Federal Assembly. (b. 1951-).

1992-93 Parliamentary State Secretary of Defence Ingrid Roitzsch
Deputy Parliamentary Secretary General of the CDU 1987-90, (b. 1940-).

1992-94 Parliamentary State Secretary of Women and Youth Cornelia Yzer
1994-9
7 Parliamentary State Secretary of Education, Science and Technology
Member of the Federal Assembly for CDU since 1990. (b. 1961-).

1994-98 Federal Minister of Family, Women, Seniors and Youth Claudia Nolte
Deputy Chairperson of the Faction of CDU in the Landtag (
State Assembly) of Thüringen 1991-94. (b. 1966-).

1994-98 Parliamentary State Secretary of Family, Women, Seniors and Youth Gertrud Dempwolf
CDU MP (b. 1936-).

1994-98 State Secretary of Urban Planning, Housing and Construction Christa Thoben
Leader of the CDU-Group of the Landtag of Nordrhein-Westphalen 1990-94 Deputy and
from 1998 Chairperson of the Landes-CDU and deputy Chairperson of the federal CDU, 1999-2000 Deputy Reigning Mayor and Senator of Science and Technology in Berlin and from 2005 Minister of Economy, Industry, Small and Medium-Sized Entreprises and Energy in Nordrhein-Westphalen. (b. 1941-).

1997-98 Parliamentary State Secretary of Education, Science, Research and Technology Elke Wülfing
Member of the Federal Assembly since 1990 and Vice-Chairperson of CDU in Nordrhein-Westfalen 1991-2003. (b. 1947-).

1998-2002 Federal Minister of Justice Dr. Herta Däubler-Gmelin
In 1983-93 Deputy Chairperson of the SPD-Faction of the Bundestag, 1988-97 Vice-Chairperson of SPD (as the first woman), (b. 1943-)
.

1998- Federal Minister of Economic Co-operation and Development Aid Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul
Deputy Party Chairperson 1993-2005 and Deputy Chairperson of the SPD Faction 1995-98. (b. 1942-)
.

1998-2002 Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Women, Youth and Seniors Dr. Christine Bergmann
President of the Town-Council of East Berlin 1990-91 , Deputy Governing Mayor and Mayor of Berlin, 1991-98, Senator of Labour Women’s Affairs, 1996-98, Senator of Vocational Training and Representative of the Land of Berlin for Federal and European Affairs and from 1994 Vice-Chairperson of the State SPD. (b. 1939-)
.

1998-2005 Federal Minister of Education and Science Edelgard Bulmahn
Since 1998 State Chairperson of SPD of Niedersachsen. (b. 1951-)
.

1998-2001 Federal Minister of Health Andrea Fischer
Member of the Leadership Council of the Bündnis90/Grüne (The Greens) (b. 1960-)
.

1998-2002 Parliamentary State Secretary of Defence Birgitte Schulte
In 1987-91 Parliamentary Secretary General of SPD, 1991-98 Sprecherin/Speaker of the North Atlantic Parliamentary Assembly and Deputy Defence Spokesperson of SPD. Former Regierungspräsidentin (Government Representative) of Hannover. (1943-)
.

1998- Parliamentary State Secretary of Finance Dr. Barbara Hendriks
She is especially in charge of Taxation, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance in Nordhrein-Westphalen 1981-90, Ministerialrätin (Civil Servant) in the State-Ministry of Environment 1996-98 and since 1996 Treasurer of the State SPD.  (b. 1952-)
.

1998-2005 Parliamentary State Secretary of Development Aid Dr. Ursula Eid
Member of the Federal Assembly for the Green Party. (b. 1949-).

1998- Parliamentary State Secretary of Interior Dr. Cornelie Sonntag-Wolgast
Spokesperson of the SPD 1991-93
. (b. 1942-).

1998-2001 Parliamentary State Secretary of Health and Commissioner of Drug Affairs Christa Nickels
In 1984-85 Parliamentary Secretary General of Bündnis 90/Grüne (1952-)
.

1998-2002 Parliamentary State Secretary of Labour and Social Affairs Ulrike Mescker
Councillor in the Magistrate of München (Munich) 1984-90 and since 1995 Deputy Chairperson of Bayern SPD. (b. 1938-)
.

1998-2002 Parliamentary State Secretary of Family, Women, Youth and Seniors Dr. Edith Niehuis
SPD Parliametarian. (b. 1950-).

1998-2002 Parliamentary State Secretary of Environment, Natural Protection and Reactor Safety Gila Altmann
Green Parliamentarian. (b. 1949-).

1998-2005 Parliamentary State Secretary of Environment , Natural Protection and Reactor Safety Simone Probst
In 1994-98 Parliamentary Secretary General of Bündnis 90/Grüne. (b. 1967-)
.

1998-2002 State Secretary of Interior Brigitte Zypries
2002- Minister of Justice
In 1997-98 State Secretary of Social Affairs of Niedersachsen. (b. 1953-)
.

1998-2002 State Secretary of Building, Housing, Communication and Transport Elke Ferner
Deputy Spokesperson of the Parliamentary Faction of the SPD 1993-98 and from Party Vice-Chairperson from 2005. (b. 1958-)
.

2000-05 Parliamentary State Secretary of Traffic, Building and Housing Angelika Mertens
SPD Parliamentarian from 1994. (b. 1952-).

2001-05 Federal Minister of Consumer’s Protection, Food and Agriculture Renate Künast
In 1989 Parliamentary Leader the Grüne/Alternative Liste of Berlin, Co-Leader of Bündis 90/Grüne 2000-01 and Parliamentary Leader from 2005. (b. 1955-)
.

2001- Federal Minister of Health Ulla Schmidt
2002-05 Federal Minister of Social Affairs
She was Deputy Chairperson of the SPD-Faction of the Bundestag 1998-2001. (b. 1949-)
.

2001-
02 Parliamentary State Secretary of Health Gudrun Schaick-Walch
From 2002 Deputy Chairperson of the SPD Parliamentary Faction. (b. 1946-).

2001-02
Parliamentary State Secretary of Economy, Industry, Trade and Technology and Federal Commissioner of the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises 
2002-05 Parliamentary State Secretary of Environment and Atomic Security Margareta Wolf
(b. 1957-)
.

2002-05 Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Women, Youth and Seniors Renate Schmidt
Vice-Chairperson of the Faction of SPD 1987-90, Vice-President of the Bundestag 1990-94 and Chairperson of SPD in Bayern 1991-2000. It was widely speculated that she should become the SPD-candidate for the post of Federal President in 2004, but since the party had no chance of winning it instead fielded a female university rector, who lost against the male conservative candidate. (b. 1943-).

2002-05 State Minister in the Office of the Federal Chancellor and Government Commissioner of Culture and the Media Christina Weiss
Senator (Minister) of Culture in the Federal State of Hamburg 1991-2001. (b. 1953-).

2002-05 State Minister of Foreign Affairs Kerstin Müller
Co-Leader of the Faction of the Bündnis '90/Die Grünen 1994-2002 (b. 1963-).

2002-05 Parliamentary State Secretary of Interior Ute Vogt
Chairperson of SPD in
Baden-Württemberg
from 1995, Candidate for the post of State Minister President in 2001 and 2006 and Chairperson of the Assembly Faction 2006-08 and Federal Vice-Chairperson of SPD 2003-07. (b. 1964-).

2002-05 Parliamentary State Secretary of Family, Seniors, Women and Youth in charge of Integration Marieluise Beck
Green Parliamentarian 1983-85, 1987-90 and again from 1990. She was Government Commissioner of Immigration 1998-2002. (b. 1953-).

2002-05 Parliamentary State Secretary of Family, Seniors, Women and Youth Rev. Christel Riemann-Hanewinckel
Protestant Priest and Duty Superintendent of Halle-Saale 1988-90, MP from 1990 and since 2002 Vice-Chairperson of SPD in Sachsen-Anhalt (b. 1947-).

2002-05 Parliamentary State Secretary of Social Insurance and Government Delegate for Drugs Affairs
2002-
Parliamentary State Secretary of Health Marion Caspers-Merk
SPD Parliamentarian from 1990. (b. 1955-).

2002-05 Parliamentary State Secretary of Traffic, Building and Housing Iris Gleicke
Deputy Faction Chairperson of SPD 1998-2002. (b. 1964-).

2005- Federal Minister of Family, Seniors and Youth Ursula von der Leyen
Minister of Social Affairs, Women, Family and Health in Niedersachsen since 2003. She is daughter of the former Minister-President of Niedersachsen, Ernst Albrecht, and mother of 7 children (b. 1958-).

2005- Federal Minister of Education and Research Dr. Annette Schavan
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport in Baden-Württemberg 1995-2005 and Deputy Chairperson of CDU since 1998. In 2004 she was mentioned as a possible Presidential Candidate, but instead she was candidate for the post of Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg in the internal CDU-elections but lost to the male candidate. Also Vice-President of the Central Committee of the German Catholics. Unmarried and no children. (b. 1955- ).

2005- State Minister in the Office of the Federal Chancellor and Government Commissioner of the Coordination between the Federation and the States Hildegard Müller
MP for CDU since 2002. (b. 1967-).

2005 State Minister in the Office of the Federal Chancellor and Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Dr. Maria Böhmer
Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Faction of CDU/CSU until 2005. (b. 1950-)

2005- Parliamentary State Secretary of Economy and Technology Dagmar Wöhrl
MP for CSU from 1994. (b. 1954-).

2005- Parliamentary State Secretary of Environment, Protection of Nature and Reactor Safety Astrid Klug
MP for SPD since 2002. (b. 1968-).

2005- Parliamentary State Secretary of Economic Co-operation and Development Aid Karin Kortmann
MP for SPD since 1998. (b. 1958-).

 

Last update 10.10.07