Reports to The Federal Chancellor First holder Gustav Noske | Formation 13 February 1919 Website bmvg.de | |
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Appointer The President, upon advice of the Federal Chancellor | ||
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.
Contents
- Ministers of Defence 19191935
- Minister of War 19351938
- Ministers of Defence of the GDR 19561990
- Ministers of Defence Bundesminister der Verteidigung since 1955
- References
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 Bundeswehr, the German armed forces. Article 115b decrees that in the state of defence, declared by the Bundestag with consent of the Bundesrat, the command in chief passes to the Federal Chancellor. 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 Ursula von der Leyen.
Ministers of Defence, 1919–1935
Political Party: SPD DDP
Minister of War, 1935–1938
In 1938 the Ministry of War was abolished and replaced by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), as a result of the Blomberg–Fritsch affair.
Ministers of Defence of the GDR, 1956–1990
Political Party: SED DA
Ministers of Defence (Bundesminister der Verteidigung), since 1955
Political Party: CDU CSU SPD