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 The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is the constitution of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. The West German Constitution was approved in Bonn on 8 May 1949 an ...

(german: Grundgesetz), the Federal Minister of Defence is commander-in-chief (german: Inhaber der Befehls- und Kommandogewalt) of the German armed forces, the ''

Bundeswehr The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...

'', 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 Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

(german: Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr). The current Federal Minister of Defence is

Christine Lambrecht Christine Lambrecht (born 19 June 1965) is a German lawyer and politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) who has been serving as the Federal Minister of Defence in the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz since December 2021. In the go ...

, since 8 December 2021.

List of officeholders

Ministers of Defence, 1919–1935

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.''

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

Minister of War, 1945

Ministers of Defence of the GDR, 1956–1990

Ministers of Defence (''Bundesminister der Verteidigung''), since 1955

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References

External links

bmvg.de
{{Defence Ministers of Germany

Defence Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indus ...