| Leaders of Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) |
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Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB's website. See also the CIDOB page detailing the German Governments since 1949. The listing of the minister-presidents of the States is available at Rulers.
Current parties::
AfD: Alternative for Germany (2013) - Bündnis 90/Die Grünen: Alliance 90/The Greens (1980/1993) - CDU: Christian Democratic Union (1945)
CSU: Christian Social Union of Bavaria (1946) - Die Linke: The Left (2007) - FDP: Free Democratic Party (1948) - NPD: National Democratic Party of Germany (1964) - REP: The Republicans (1983) - SPD: Social Democratic Party of Germany (1875)
Late parties:: BP: The Blue Party - DVU: German People's Union (1987-2011 > NPD) - FVP: Liberal People's Party (1956-1957) - PDS: Party of Democratic Socialism (1990-2005 > Die Linkspartei.PDS) - Die Linkspartei.PDS: The Left Party.PDS (2005-2007 > Die Linke) - WASG: Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative (2005-2007 > Die Linke)
Federal Presidents
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Karl Arnold 7 Sep 1949 - 12 Sep 1949 (†1958) CDU (acting)
Theodor Heuss 12 Sep 1949 - 12 Sep 1959 (†1963) FDP
Karl Heinrich Lübke 12 Sep 1959 - 1 Jul 1969 (†1972) CDU
Gustav Heinemann 1 Jul 1969 - 1 Jul 1974 (†1976) SPD
Walter Scheel 1 Jul 1974 - 1 Jul 1979 (†2016) FDP
Karl Carstens 1 Jul 1979 - 1 Jul 1984 (†1992) CDU
Richard von Weizsäcker 1 Jul 1984 - 1 Jul 1994 (†2015) CDU
Roman Herzog 1 Jul 1994 - 1 Jul 1999 (†2017) CDU
Johannes Rau 1 Jul 1999 - 1 Jul 2004 (†2006) SPD
Horst Köhler 1 Jul 2004 - 31 May 2010 CDU
Jens Böhrnsen 31 May 2010 - 30 Jun 2010 SPD (acting)
Christian Wulff 30 Jun 2010 - 17 Feb 2012 CDU
Horst Seehofer 17 Feb 2012 - 18 Mar 2012 CSU (acting)
Joachim Gauck 18 Mar 2012 - 19 Mar 2017 n/p
Frank-Walter Steinmeier 19 Mar 2017 - SPD
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Federal Chancellors
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Konrad Adenauer 15 Sep 1949 - 16 Oct 1963 (†1967) CDU
Ludwig Erhard 16 Oct 1963 - 1 Dec 1966 (†1977) CDU
Kurt Georg Kiesinger 1 Dec 1966 - 21 Oct 1969 (†1988) CDU
Willy Brandt 21 Oct 1969 - 7 May 1974 (†1992) SPD
Walter Scheel 7 May 1974 - 16 May 1974 (†2016) FDP (acting)
Helmut Schmidt 16 May 1974 - 1 Oct 1982 (†2015) SPD
Helmut Kohl 1 Oct 1982 - 27 Oct 1998 (†2017) CDU
Gerhard Schröder 27 Oct 1998 - 22 Nov 2005 SPD
Angela Merkel 22 Nov 2005 - 8 Dec 2021 CDU
Olaf Scholz 8 Dec 2021 - SPD
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Federal Vice Chancellors
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Franz Blücher 1949-1957 (†1959) FDP, FVP
Ludwig Erhard 1957-1963 (†1977) CDU
Erich Mende 1963-1966 (†1998) FDP
Hans-Christoph Seebohm 1966 (†1967) CDU
Willy Brandt 1966-1969 (†1992) SPD
Walter Scheel 1969-1974 (†2016) FDP
Hans-Dietrich Genscher 1974-1982 (†2016) FDP
Egon Franke 1982 (†1995) SPD
Hans-Dietrich Genscher 1982-1992 (†2016) FDP
Jürgen Möllemann 1992-1993 (†2003) FDP
Klaus Kinkel 1993-1998 (†2019) FDP
Joschka Fischer 1998-2005 Die Grünen
Franz Müntefering 2005-2007 SPD
Frank-Walter Steinmeier 2007-2009 SPD
Guido Westerwelle 2009-2011 (†2016) FDP
Philipp Rösler 2011-2013 FDP
Sigmar Gabriel 2013-2018 SPD
Olaf Scholz 2018-2021 SPD
Robert Habeck 2021- Die Grünen
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Ministers of Foreign Affairs
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Konrad Adenauer 1951-1955 (†1967) CDU
Heinrich von Brentano 1955-1961 (†1964) CDU
Gerhard Schröder 1961-1966 (†1989) CDU
Willy Brandt 1966-1969 (†1992) SPD
Walter Scheel 1969-1974 (†2016) FDP
Hans-Dietrich Genscher 1974-1982 (†2016) FDP
Helmut Schmidt 1982 (†2015) SPD
Hans-Dietrich Genscher 1982-1992 (†2016) FDP
Klaus Kinkel 1992-1998 (†2019) FDP
Joschka Fischer 1998-2005 Die Grünen
Frank-Walter Steinmeier 2005-2009 SPD
Guido Westerwelle 2009-2013 (†2016) FDP
Frank-Walter Steinmeier 2013-2017 SPD
Sigmar Gabriel 2017-2018 SPD
Heiko Maas 2018-2021 SPD
Annalena Baerbock 2021- Die Grünen
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Ministers of Finance
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Fritz Schäffer 1949-1957 (†1965) CSU
Franz Etzel 1957-1961 (†1970) CDU
Heinz Starke 1961-1962 (†2001) FDP
Rolf Dahlgrün 1962-1966 (†1969) FDP
Kurt Schmücker 1966 (†1996) CDU
Franz-Josef Strauss 1966-1969 (†1988) CSU
Alex Möller 1969-1971 (†1985) SPD
Karl Schiller 1971-1972 (†1994) SPD
Helmut Schmidt 1972-1974 (†2015) SPD
Hans Eberhard Apel 1974-1978 (†2011) SPD
Hans Matthöfer 1978-1982 (†2009) SPD
Manfred Lahnstein 1982 SPD
Gerhard Stoltenberg 1982-1989 (†2001) CDU
Theo Waigel 1989-1998 CSU
Oskar Lafontaine 1998-1999 SPD
Werner Müller 1999 (†2019) n/p (acting)
Hans Eichel 1999-2005 SPD
Peer Steinbrück 2005-2009 SPD
Wolfgang Schäuble 2009-2017 (†2023) CDU
Peter Altmaier 2017-2018 CDU (acting)
Olaf Scholz 2018-2021 SPD
Christian Lindner 2021- FDP
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Ministers of Economy
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Ludwig Erhard 1949-1963 (†1977) CDU
Kurt Schmücker 1963-1966 (†1996) CDU
Karl Schiller 1966-1972 (†1994) SPD
Helmut Schmidt 1972 (†2015) SPD
Hans Friderichs 1972-1977 FDP
Otto Graf Lambsdorff 1977-1982 (†2009) FDP
Manfred Lahnstein 1982 SPD
Otto Graf Lambsdorff 1982-1984 (†2009) FDP
Martin Bangemann 1984-1988 (†2022) FDP
Helmut Haussmann 1988-1991 FDP
Jürgen Möllemann 1991-1993 (†2003) FDP
Günther Rexrodt 1993-1998 (†2004) FDP
Werner Müller 1998-2002 (†2019) n/p
Wolfgang Clement 2002-2005 (†2020) SPD
Michael Glos 2005-2009 CSU
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg 2009 CSU
Rainer Brüderle 2009-2011 FDP
Philipp Rösler 2011-2013 FDP
Sigmar Gabriel 2013-2017 SPD
Brigitte Zypries 2017-2018 SPD
Peter Altmaier 2018-2021 CDU
Robert Habeck 2021- Die Grünen
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Ministers of Defence
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Theodor Blank 1955-1956 (†1972) CDU
Franz-Josef Strauss 1956-1963 (†1988) CSU
Kai-Uwe von Hassel 1963-1966 (†1997) CDU
Gerhard Schröder 1966-1969 (†1989) CDU
Helmut Schmidt 1969-1972 (†2015) SPD
Georg Leber 1972-1978 (†2012) SPD
Hans Eberhard Apel 1978-1982 (†2011) SPD
Manfred Wörner 1982-1988 (†1994) CDU
Rupert Scholz 1988-1989 CDU
Gerhard Stoltenberg 1989-1992 (†2001) CDU
Volker Rühe 1992-1998 CDU
Rudolf Scharping 1998-2002 SPD
Peter Struck 2002-2005 (†2012) SPD
Franz Josef Jung 2005-2009 CDU
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg 2009-2011 CSU
Thomas de Maizière 2011-2013 CDU
Ursula von der Leyen 2013-2019 CDU
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer 2019-2021 CDU
Christine Lambrecht 2021-2023 SPD
Boris Pistorius 2023- SPD
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Ministers of the Interior
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Gustav Heinemann 1949-1950 (†1976) CDU
Robert Lehr 1950-1953 (†1956) CDU
Gerhard Schröder 1953-1961 (†1989) CDU
Hermann Höcherl 1961-1965 (†1989) CSU
Paul Lücke 1965-1968 (†1976) CDU
Ernst Benda 1968-1969 (†2009) CDU
Hans-Dietrich Genscher 1969-1974 (†2016) FDP
Werner Maihofer 1974-1978 (†2009) FDP
Gerhart Baum 1978-1982 FDP
Jürgen Schmude 1982 SPD
Friedrich Zimmermann 1982-1989 (†2012) CSU
Wolfgang Schäuble 1989-1991 (†2023) CDU
Rudolf Seiters 1991-1993 CDU
Manfred Kanther 1993-1998 CDU
Otto Schily 1998-2005 SPD
Wolfgang Schäuble 2005-2009 (†2023) CDU
Thomas de Maizière 2009-2011 CDU
Hans-Peter Friedrich 2011-2013 CSU
Thomas de Maiziere 2013-2018 CDU
Horst Seehofer 2018-2021 CSU
Nancy Faeser 2021- SPD
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Presidents of the Bundestag
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Erich Köhler 1949-1950 (†1958) CDU
Hermann Ehlers 1950-1954 (†1954) CDU
Eugen Gerstenmaier 1954-1969 (†1986) CDU
Kai-Uwe von Hassel 1969-1972 (†1997) CDU
Annemarie Renger 1972-1976 (†2008) SPD
Karl Carstens 1976-1979 (†1992) CDU
Richard Stücklen 1979-1983 (†2002) CSU
Rainer Barzel 1983-1984 (†2006) CDU
Philipp Jenninger 1984-1988 (†2018) CDU
Rita Süssmuth 1988-1998 CDU
Wolfgang Thierse 1998-2005 SPD
Norbert Lammert 2005-2017 CDU
Wolfgang Schäuble 2017-2021 (†2023) CDU
Bärbel Bas 2021- SPD
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Presidents of the Bundesrat
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Karl Arnold 1949-1950 (†1958) CDU
Hans Ehard 1950-1951 (†1980) CSU
Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf 1951-1952 (†1961) SPD
Reinhold Maier 1952-1953 (†1971) FDP
Georg August Zinn 1953-1954 (†1976) SPD
Peter Altmeier 1954-1955 (†1977) CDU
Kai-Uwe von Hassel 1955-1956 (†1997) CDU
Kurt Sieveking 1956-1957 (†1986) CDU
Willy Brandt 1957-1958 (†1992) SPD
Wilhelm Kaisen 1958-1959 (†1979) SPD
Franz Josef Röder 1959-1960 (†1979) CDU
Franz Meyers 1960-1961 (†2002) CDU
Hans Ehard 1961-1962 (†1980) CSU
Kurt Georg Kiesinger 1962-1963 (†1988) CDU
Georg Diederichs 1963-1964 (†1983) SPD
Georg August Zinn 1964-1965 (†1976) SPD
Peter Altmeier 1965-1966 (†1977) CDU
Helmut Lemke 1966-1967 (†1990) CDU
Klaus Schütz 1967-1968 (†2012) SPD
Herbert Weichmann 1968-1969 (†1983) SPD
Franz Josef Röder 1969-1970 (†1979) CDU
Hans Koschnick 1970-1971 (†2016) SPD
Heinz Kühn 1971-1972 (†1992) SPD
Alfons Goppel 1972-1973 (†1991) CSU
Hans Filbinger 1973-1974 (†2007) CDU
Alfred Kubel 1974-1975 (†1999) SPD
Albert Osswald 1975-1976 (†1996) SPD
Bernhard Vogel 1976-1977 CDU
Gerhard Stoltenberg 1977-1978 (†2001) CDU
Dietrich Stobbe 1978-1979 (†2011) SPD
Hans-Ulrich Klose 1979-1980 SPD
Werner Zeyer 1980-1981 (†2000) CDU
Hans Koschnick 1981-1982 (†2016) SPD
Johannes Rau 1982-1983 (†2006) SPD
Franz Josef Strauss 1983-1984 (†1988) CSU
Lothar Späth 1984-1985 (†2016) CDU
Ernst Albrecht 1985-1986 (†2014) CDU
Holger Börner 1986-1987 (†2006) SPD
Walter Wallmann 1987 (†2013) CDU
Bernhard Vogel 1987-1988 CDU
Björn Engholm 1988-1989 SPD
Walter Momper 1989-1990 SPD
Henning Voscherau 1990-1991 (†2016) SPD
Alfred Gomolka 1991-1992 CDU
Berndt Seite 1992 CDU
Oskar Lafontaine 1992-1993 SPD
Klaus Wedemeier 1993-1994 SPD
Johannes Rau 1994-1995 (†2006) SPD
Edmund Stoiber 1995-1996 CSU
Erwin Teufel 1996-1997 CDU
Gerhard Schröder 1997-1998 SPD
Hans Eichel 1998-1999 SPD
Roland Koch 1999 CDU
Kurt Biedenkopf 1999-2000 (†2021) CDU
Kurt Beck 2000-2001 SPD
Klaus Wowereit 2001-2002 SPD
Wolfgang Böhmer 2002-2003 CDU
Dieter Althaus 2003-2004 CDU
Matthias Platzeck 2004-2005 SPD
Peter Harry Carstensen 2005-2006 CDU
Harald Ringstorff 2006-2007 SPD
Ole von Beust 2007-2008 CDU
Peter Müller 2008-2009 CDU
Jens Böhrnsen 2009-2010 SPD
Hannelore Kraft 2010-2011 SPD
Horst Seehofer 2011-2012 CSU
Winfried Kretschmann 2012-2013 Die Grünen
Stephan Weil 2013-2014 SPD
Volker Bouffier 2014-2015 CDU
Stanislaw Tillich 2015-2016 CDU
Malu Dreyer 2016-2017 SPD
Michael Müller 2017-2018 SPD
Daniel Günther 2018-2019 CDU
Dietmar Woidke 2019-2020 SPD
Reiner Haseloff 2020-2021 CDU
Bodo Ramelow 2021-2022 Die Linke
Peter Tschentscher 2022-2023 SPD
Manuela Schwesig 2023- SPD
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Leaders of SPD
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Chairmen
Kurt Schumacher 1946-1952 (†1952)
Erich Ollenhauer 1952-1963 (†1963)
Willy Brandt 1964-1987 (†1992)
Hans-Jochen Vogel 1987-1991 (†2020)
Björn Engholm 1991-1993
Johannes Rau 1993 (†2006) (acting)
Rudolf Scharping 1993-1995
Oskar Lafontaine 1995-1999
Gerhard Schröder 1999-2004
Franz Müntefering 2004-2005
Matthias Platzeck 2005-2006
Kurt Beck 2006-2008
Frank-Walter Steinmeier 2008 (acting)
Franz Müntefering 2008-2009
Sigmar Gabriel 2009-2017
Martin Schulz 2017-2018
Olaf Scholz 2018 (acting)
Andrea Nahles 2018-2019
Manuela Schwesig +
Malu Dreyer +
Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel 2019 (acting)
Malu Dreyer 2019 (acting)
Saskia Esken +
Norbert Walter-Borjans 2019-2021
Saskia Esken +
Lars Klingbeil 2021-
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The SPD was founded on 27 May 1875.
The CDU was founded on 26 Jun 1945.
Chairmen of CSU
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Hans Ehard 1946-1955 (†1980)
Hanns Seidel 1955-1961 (†1961)
Franz-Josef Strauss 1961-1988 (†1988)
Theo Waigel 1988-1999
Edmund Stoiber 1999-2007
Erwin Huber 2007-2008
Horst Seehofer 2008-2019
Markus Söder 2019-
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The CSU was founded on 13 Oct 1945.
Chairmen of FDP
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Theodor Heuss 1948-1949 (†1963)
Franz Blücher 1949-1954 (†1959)
Thomas Dehler 1954-1957 (†1967)
Reinhold Maier 1957-1960 (†1971)
Erich Mende 1960-1968 (†1998)
Walter Scheel 1968-1974 (†2016)
Hans-Dietrich Genscher 1974-1985 (†2016)
Martin Bangemann 1985-1988 (†2022)
Otto Graf Lambsdorff 1988-1993 (†2009)
Klaus Kinkel 1993-1995 (†2019)
Wolfgang Gerhardt 1995-2001
Guido Westerwelle 2001-2011 (†2016)
Philipp Rösler 2011-2013
Christian Lindner 2013-
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The CSU was founded on 12 Dec 1948.
Co-Speakers/Co-Chairmen of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen
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Herbert Gruhl (†1993) + August Haussleiter (†1989) + Helmut Neddermeyer 1980 (acting)
August Haussleiter (†1989) + Petra Kelly (†1992) + Norbert Mann 1980
Dieter Burgmann + Petra Kelly (†1992) + Norbert Mann 1980-1981
Dieter Burgmann + Petra Kelly (†1992) + Manon Maren-Grisebach 1981-1982
Wilhelm Knabe + Manon Maren-Grisebach + Rainer Trampert 1982-1983
Wilhelm Knabe + Rebekka Schmidt + Rainer Trampert 1983-1984
Lukas Beckmann + Jutta Ditfurth + Rainer Trampert 1984-1987
Jutta Ditfurth + Regina Michalik + Christian Schmidt 1987-1989
Ralf Fücks + Ruth Hammerbacher + Verena Krieger 1989-1990
Renate Damus (†1992) + Heide Rühle + Christian Ströbele 1990-1991
Ludger Volmer + Christine Weiske 1991-1993
Ludger Volmer + Marianne Birthler 1993-1994
Jürgen Trittin + Krista Sager 1994-1996
Jürgen Trittin + Gunda Röstel 1996-1998
Antje Radcke + Gunda Röstel 1998-2000
Renate Künast + Fritz Kuhn 2000-2001
Claudia Roth + Fritz Kuhn 2001-2002
Angelika Beer + Reinhard Bütikofer 2002-2004
Claudia Roth + Reinhard Bütikofer 2004-2008
Claudia Roth + Cem Özdemir 2008-2013
Simone Peter + Cem Özdemir 2013-2018
Annalena Baerbock + Robert Habeck 2018-2022
Ricarda Lang + Omid Nouripour 2022-
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Die Grünen was founded on 13 Jan 1980. On 14 May 1993 it merged with Bündnis 90, a party based on the former GDR.
Chairmen of PDS and Die Linkspartei.PDS (1990-2007)
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Gregor Gysi 1990-1993
Lothar Bisky 1993-2000 (†2013)
Gabi Zimmer 2000-2003
Lothar Bisky 2003-2007 (†2013)
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The PDS evolved from the previous Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED, Communist), the former single ruling party in the GDR. The SED became the SED-PDS on 15 Dec 1989 and subsequently the PDS on 4 Feb 1990. On 17 Jul 2005 the PDS adopted as name The Left Party.PDS. On 16 Jun 2007 it merged with the WASG to create The Left (Die Linke), ceasing to exist.
Co-Leaders of WASG (2005-2007)
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Christine Buchholz +
Klaus Ernst +
Thomas Händel +
Axel Troost 2005-2007
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WASG was founded on 22 Jan 2005 by splinters of SPD and other lefitst polititians. On 16 Jun 2007 it merged with The Left Party.PDS to create The Left (Die Linke), ceasing to exist.
Co-Leaders of Die Linke
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Lothar Bisky (†2013) + Oskar Lafontaine 2007-2010
Gesine Lötzsch + Klaus Ernst 2010-2012
Katja Kipping + Bernd Riexinger 2012-2021
Janine Wissler + Susanne Hennig-Wellsow 2021-2022
Janine Wissler 2022
Janine Wissler + Martin Schirdewan 2022-
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Die Linke (The Left) was founded on 16 Jun 2007 as the merger of The Left Party.PDS and the WASG.
Spokespersons of AfD
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Frauke Petry + Konrad Adam + Bernd Lucke 2013-2015
Frauke Petry + Jörg Meuthen 2015-2017
Jörg Meuthen + Alexande Gauland 2017-2019
Jörg Meuthen + Tino Chrupalla 2019-2022
Tino Chrupalla + Alice Weidel 2022-
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AfD was founded on 6 Feb 2013.
Chairmen of REP
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Franz Handlos 1983-1985 (†2013)
Franz Schönhuber 1985-1994 (†2005)
Rolf Schlierer 1994-2014
Johann Gärtner 2014-2016
Kevin Krieger 2016-2019
Michael Felgenheuer 2019
Tilo Schöne 2019-
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REP was founded on 26 Nov 1983.
Leaders of DVU (1971-2011)
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Gerhard Frey 1987-2009 (†2013)
Matthias Faust 2009-2011
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DVU was founded in 1971 as a non-partisan organization by G. Frey. Since Mar 1987 it contitued as a party properly with the name DVU-Liste D. In 1991 it changed its name to simply DVU. In 2011 the party merged with the NPD, ceasing to exist.
Chairmen of NPD
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Fritz Thielen 1964-1967 (†1993)
Wilhelm Gutmann 1967 (†1976) (interim)
Adolf von Thadden 1967-1971 (†1996)
Martin Mußgnug 1971-1991 (†1997)
Walter Bachmann 1991 (interim)
Günter Deckert 1991-1996
Udo Voigt 1996-2011
Holger Apfel 2011-2013
Udo Pastörs 2013-2014
Frank Franz 2014-
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The NPD was founded on 28 Nov 1964.
Leaders of BP (2017-2019)
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Frauke Petry 2017-2019
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The BP was founded on 17 Sep 2017 by splinters of AfD and was dissolved on 31 Dec 2019.
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