The Federal Minister of Defence (german: Bundesminister der Verteidigung) is the head of the

Federal Ministry of Defence The Federal Ministry of Defence (german: Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, ), abbreviated BMVg, is a top-level federal agency, headed by the Federal Minister of Defence as a member of the Cabinet of Germany. The ministry is headquartered at ...

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 The state of defence (, ) is the constitutional state of emergency in Germany if the country is "under attack by armed force or imminently threatened with such an attack". Established by a constitutional amendment in 1968 during the Cold War, this ...

is declared, the Federal Chancellor becomes commander-in-chief. 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 Christine Lambrecht, since 8 December 2021.

List of officeholders

Ministers of Defence, 1919–1935

Minister of War, 1935–1938

''In 1938 the

Ministry of War Ministry of War may refer to: * Ministry of War (imperial China) (c.600–1912) * Chinese Republic Ministry of War (1912–1946) * Ministry of War (Kingdom of Bavaria) (1808–1919) * Ministry of War (Brazil) (1815–1999) * Ministry of War (Estoni ...

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

, -style="text-align:center;"

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 ...