Heads of State of Germany
German Reich
German Emperor
William I
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 22 1797; d. March 9 1888
Spouse: Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (b. September 30 1811; d. January 7 1890)
Children: (1) Frederick III, German Emperor, King of Prussia (b. October 18 1831; d. June 15 1888); (2) Princess Louise of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Baden (b. December 3 1838; d. April 23 1923)
House of Hohenzollern
1871 – 1888
Führer of Germany
Adolf Hitler
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 20 1889; d. April 30 1945
National Socialist German Workers’ Party
1934 – 1945
German Democratic Republic
Chairman of the State Council of the German Democratic Republic
Egon Rudi Ernst Krenz
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 19 1937.
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
1989
Federal Republic of Germany
Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany
Richard Karl Freiherr von Weizsäcker
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 15 1920; d. January 31 2015.
Independent
1984 – 1994
Johannes Rau
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 16 1931; d. January 27 2006.
Independent
1999 – 2004
Horst Köhler
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 22 1943; d. February 1 2025.
Independent
2004 – 2010
Christian Wilhelm Walter Wulff
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 19 1959.
Independent
2010 – 2012
Horst Lorenz Seehofer (*acting)
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 4 1949.
Independent
2012
Joachim Wilhelm Gauck
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 24 1940.
Chancellor: Angela Merkel.
Other prominent offices: Member of the Volkskammer (1990); Member of the Bundestag (1990).
Independent
2012 – 2017
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 5 1956.
Chancellors: Angela Merkel (2017 – 2021); Olaf Scholz (2021 – present).
Other prominent offices: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2005 – 2009; 2013 – 2017); Vice-Chancellor of Germany (2007 – 2009); Interim Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (2008); Member of the Bundestag (2009 – 2017).
Independent
2017 – present
Heads of Government of Germany
German Reich
Chancellor of Germany
Adolf Hitler
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 20 1889; d. April 30 1945
National Socialist German Workers’ Party
1933 – 1945
Federal Republic of Germany
Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 5 1876; d. April 19 1967.
Christian Democratic Union
1949 – 1963
Willy Brandt
Date of birth/date of death: b. December 18 1913; d. October 8 1992.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
1969 – 1974
Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt
Date of birth/date of death: b. December 23 1918; d. November 10 2015.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
1974 – 1982
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 3 1930; d. June 16 2017.
Christian Democratic Union
1982 – 1998
Gerhard Fritz Kurt “Gerd” Schröder
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 7 1944.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
1998 – 2005
Angela Dorothea Merkel
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 17 1954.
Christian Democratic Union
2005 – 2021
Olaf Scholz
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 14 1958.
President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Other prominent offices: Member of the Bundestag (1998 – 2001; 2002 – 2011; 2021 – present); General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (2002 – 2004); Chief Whip of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in the Bundestag (2005 – 2007); Federal Minister for Labour and Social Affairs (2007 – 2009); Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in the Bundestag (2009 – 2011); First Mayor of Hamburg (2011 – 2018); Federal Minister of Finance (2018 – 2021); Vice Chancellor of Germany (2018 – 2021).
Social Democratic Party of Germany
2021 – present
Deputy to the Federal Chancellor
Willy Brandt
Date of birth/date of death: b. December 18 1913; d. October 8 1992.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
1966 – 1969
Joseph Martin “Joschka” Fischer
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 12 1948.
Alliance 90/The Greens
1998 – 2005
Franz Müntefering
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 16 1940.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
2005 – 2007
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 5 1956.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
2007 – 2009
Guido Westerwelle
Date of birth/date of death: b. December 27 1961; d. March 18 2016.
Free Democratic Party
2009 – 2011
Philipp Rösler
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 24 1973.
Free Democratic Party
2011 – 2013
Sigmar Hartmut Gabriel
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 12 1959.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
2013 – 2018
Olaf Scholz
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 14 1958.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
2018 – 2021
Robert Habeck
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 2 1969.
Alliance 90/The Greens
2021 – present
Leader of the Opposition
Wolfgang Schäuble
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 18 1942; d. December 26 2023.
Christian Democratic Union
1998 – 2000
Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 11 1955.
Christian Democratic Union
2000 – 2002
Angela Dorothea Merkel
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 17 1954.
Christian Democratic Union
2002 – 2005
Guido Westerwelle
Date of birth/date of death: b. December 27 1961; d. March 18 2016.
Free Democratic Party
2006 – 2009
Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 11 1955.
Christian Democratic Union
2022 – present
Sub-National Monarchies
Kingdom of Hanover
King of Hanover
George III
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 4 1738; d. January 29 1820
Spouse: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (b. May 19 1744; d. November 17 1818)
Children: (1) George IV, King of the United Kingdom (b. August 12 1762; d. June 26 1830); (2) Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (b. August 16 1763; d. January 5 1827); (3) William IV, King of the United Kingdom (b. August 21 1765; d. June 20 1837); (4) Charlotte, Princess Royal, Queen consort of Württemberg (b. September 29 1766; d. October 6 1828); (5) Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (b. November 2 1767; d. January 23 1820); (6) Princess Augusta Sophia (b. November 8 1768; d. September 22 1840); (7) Princess Elizabeth, Landgravine consort of Hesse-Homburg (b. May 22 1770; d. January 10 1840); (8) Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover (b. June 5 1771; d. November 18 1851); (9) Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (b. January 27 1773; d. April 21 1843); (10) Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (b. February 24 1774; d. July 5 1850); (11) Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh (b. April 25 1776; d. April 30 1857); (12) Princess Sophia (b. November 3 1777; d. May 27 1848); (13) Prince Octavius (b. February 23 1779; d. May 3 1783); (14) Prince Alfred (b. September 22 1780; d. August 20 1782); (15) Princess Amelia (b. August 7 1783; d. November 2 1810).
Titles of royalty: Prince of Wales (1751 – 1760); Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1760 – 1814); King of Hanover (1814 – 1820).
Titles of nobility: Duke of Edinburgh (1751 – 1760).
House of Hanover
1814 – 1820
Kingdom of Prussia
King of Prussia
Frederick II the Great
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 24 1712; d. August 17 1786.
House of Hohenzollern
1740 – 1786
William I
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 22 1797; d. March 9 1888
Spouse: Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (b. September 30 1811; d. January 7 1890)
Children: (1) Frederick III, German Emperor, King of Prussia (b. October 18 1831; d. June 15 1888); (2) Princess Louise of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Baden (b. December 3 1838; d. April 23 1923)
House of Hohenzollern
1861 – 1888
Oldenburg
County of Oldenburg
Count of Oldenburg
Paul
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 1 1754; d. March 23 1801.
House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov – Oldenburg
1773
Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
George III
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 4 1738; d. January 29 1820
Spouse: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (b. May 19 1744; d. November 17 1818)
Children: (1) George IV, King of the United Kingdom (b. August 12 1762; d. June 26 1830); (2) Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (b. August 16 1763; d. January 5 1827); (3) William IV, King of the United Kingdom (b. August 21 1765; d. June 20 1837); (4) Charlotte, Princess Royal, Queen consort of Württemberg (b. September 29 1766; d. October 6 1828); (5) Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (b. November 2 1767; d. January 23 1820); (6) Princess Augusta Sophia (b. November 8 1768; d. September 22 1840); (7) Princess Elizabeth, Landgravine consort of Hesse-Homburg (b. May 22 1770; d. January 10 1840); (8) Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover (b. June 5 1771; d. November 18 1851); (9) Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (b. January 27 1773; d. April 21 1843); (10) Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (b. February 24 1774; d. July 5 1850); (11) Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh (b. April 25 1776; d. April 30 1857); (12) Princess Sophia (b. November 3 1777; d. May 27 1848); (13) Prince Octavius (b. February 23 1779; d. May 3 1783); (14) Prince Alfred (b. September 22 1780; d. August 20 1782); (15) Princess Amelia (b. August 7 1783; d. November 2 1810).
Titles of royalty: Prince of Wales (1751 – 1760); Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1760 – 1814); King of Hanover (1814 – 1820).
Titles of nobility: Duke of Edinburgh (1751 – 1760).
House of Hanover
1760 – 1814
Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp
Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Paul
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 1 1754; d. March 23 1801.
House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov – Oldenburg
1762 – 1773
Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred
Date of birth/date of death: b. August 6 1844; d. July 30 1900
Military ranks (Royal Navy): Promoted to rear-admiral, 1878. Promoted to vice-admiral, 1882. Promoted to admiral, 1887. Promoted to Admiral of the Fleet, 1893.
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
1893 – 1900
Charles Edward
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 19 1884; d. March 6 1954
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
1900 – 1918
Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg
Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
William I
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 22 1797; d. March 9 1888
Spouse: Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (b. September 30 1811; d. January 7 1890)
Children: (1) Frederick III, German Emperor, King of Prussia (b. October 18 1831; d. June 15 1888); (2) Princess Louise of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Baden (b. December 3 1838; d. April 23 1923)
House of Hohenzollern
1864 – 1876
Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein
Duke of Schleswig-Holstein
William I
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 22 1797; d. March 9 1888
Spouse: Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (b. September 30 1811; d. January 7 1890)
Children: (1) Frederick III, German Emperor, King of Prussia (b. October 18 1831; d. June 15 1888); (2) Princess Louise of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Baden (b. December 3 1838; d. April 23 1923)
House of Hohenzollern
1864 – 1888