You Should Know...

Germany’s new federal government has an international affairs team that includes both new and some familiar faces. The Christian Democrats and Liberals have made appointments to the foreign, defense, and economic development ministries. Here IP-Global Edition introduces the personnel involved in Germany’s foreign policies.

Ronald Pofalla, Chancellory Chief of Staff

Described as a “tireless fighter for Angela Merkel," (WDR Radio) Ronald Pofalla is the current Chancellory Chief of Staff, as well as the Federal Minister for Special Affairs in Merkel’s current cabinet. Pofalla first joined the CDU in 1975 and was voted into the Bundestag for the first time in 1990. From 2004 to 2005 he served as chairperson for the CDU devision of Economics and Labor, and in 2005, he was named general secretary of the CDU.

Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz, State Secretary for the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development

Formerly organization and PR manager for the FDP, Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz was appointed State Secretary for the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development after the 2009 election. From 1992 to 1995 he was the vice president of the Federal Agency for Civic Education, after serving as the head of the department of politics and international relations in the office of Dr. Otto Graf Lambsdorff. He has been a member of the FDP since 1969.

Ursula Heinen-Esser, Parliamentary State Secretary for Ministry of the Environment, Nature Preservation, and Nuclear Security

Ursula Heinen-Esser has been a member of the German Bundestag since 1998. Prior to her current position, she served as the Parliamentary State Secretary for the Ministry of Nutrition, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection, a member of the Committee for European Union Affairs, and a member of the German-American Group in German Parliament. Since 2002, she has served as the chairperson of the female group in Christian Democratic Party.

Bernd Neumann, Minister of State to the Federal Chancellor

Bernd Neumann has served as Minister of State since November 2005. The CDU politician has been a member of the Bundestag since 1987, having previously served as the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Technology, as well as the Chairman of the CDU Committee on Media Policy.

Hans-Ulrich Klose, Chairman of the German-American Parliamentary Group

First elected to the German Bundestag in 1983, Hans-Ulrich Klose is a Social Democratic Party member and currently serves as a member of the German Bundestag. He was elected as vice-president of the Bundestag in 1994 before becoming the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in 1998. He is presently a substitute member of the Committee on Affairs of the European Union, and a chairman and speaker for the German American Parliamentary Group. In terms of foreign policy, his focus is on relations between Russia and the EU, transatlantic relations, and the role that Germany plays and needs to play in the world.

Katarina Reiche, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Ministry of the Environment

Katarina Reiche was appointed as the Parliamentary State Secretary to the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety in October 2009. She has been a member of the German Bundestag since 1998, and served as vice-chairman for the CDU Parliamentary Group in the area of education and research policy from 2005 to 2008. She completed her studies in chemistry at the University of Potsdam, and then went on to study at Clarkson University in New York and Turku University in Finland before returning to the University of Potsdam as a research fellow.

Rüdiger Wolf, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Defense

Rüdiger Wolf was promoted to State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Defense on January 1, 2008, from his former position as Director of Budgetary Affairs, which he held from 2002-2007.

Christian Schmidt, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defense

Defense expert Christian Schmidt is a member of CSU and has served as a Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defense since November 2005.

Peter Gottwald, Federal Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control

As Federal Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control since 2008, Ambassador Peter Gottwald’s top priorities include arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. He supports the proposals presented by President Obama for disarmament initiatives and argues in favor of regional security treaties in order to achieve "Global Zero," an initiative to reduce arms, specifically nuclear weapons. His primary tasks include intensive contact with the UN, close interaction with EU member states on foreign policy issues, and the coordination the implementation of national agreements, such as the TNP (Treaty on Non-proliferation).

Günter Nooke, Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid

Former East German human rights activist, Günter Nooke, is Germany’s Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, a position he has held since March 2006.

Bernd Mützelburg, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan

In February 2009, Bernd Mützelburg was named the German government's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. His primary responsibilities are to foster Germany’s diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan and Pakistan and prepare the Afghanistan Conference scheduled to take place in late January 2010.

Guido Westerwelle, Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor

Guido Westerwelle, leader of Germany’s liberal Free Democratic Party, was appointed Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany following this year’s September elections. A lawyer by profession, he has been a member of parliament since 1996 and a member of the FDP since 1980.

Wolf-Ruthart Born, State Secretary for European Affairs

Wolf-Ruthart Born is Germany’s State Secretary for European Affairs at the Foreign Office. He has extensive experience in diplomacy and policymaking, having served in the foreign service for 34 years and having witnessed firsthand many of the major events shaping the world over the last 30 years.

Peter Ammon, State Secretary to the Foreign Office

Peter Ammon is continuing his position as permanent state secretary in the German Foreign Office, which he has held since July 2008. He first joined the Germany Foreign Service in 1978 and has since held many prominent positions within the ministry.

Martin Biesel, State Secretary of the Foreign Office

Martin Biesel, the third State Secretary of the Foreign Office; although working largely in the background, is Guido Westerwelle’s right-hand man and a central figure in the Free Democratic party.

Gudrun Kopp, Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development

Germany’s new Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Gudrun Kopp, has been a member of parliament for the last 11 years and an FDP party member since 1976.

Maria Böhmer, Commissioner for Migration, Refugees, and Integration

Christian Democrat Maria Böhmer is returning to her post as Minister of State in Angela Merkel’s federal chancellery and as the government’s Commissioner for Migration, Refugees, and Integration. She has held both positions since 2005. She declared integration as a top priority topic for the new government. "Today we're fighting with the failings of the past," she said.

Dirk Niebel, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development

Paratrooper turned public administrator. Free Democrat Dirk Niebel, formerly the party's spokesperson for labor policy, takes over the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Rainer Brüderle, Minister of Economics and Technology

Longtime top FDP man from Rhineland takes over Germany's Ministry of Economics and Technology. He will focus on job creation through better education and research.

Cornelia Pieper, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office

Cornelia Pieper, Germany’s Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, has been a representative in the German Bundestag for over 10 years and is focused on creating better ties between Europe and and Asia and the Middle East.

Steffen Kampeter, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Ministry of Finance

Steffen Kampeter is Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Ministry of Finance. The Christian Democrat from North Rhineland-Westphalia has been a strong advocate for his constituents since 1990 when he first entered the Bundestag. Now he brings this tenacity to the federal finance ministry.

Werner Hoyer, Minister of State at the Foreign Office

Dr. Werner Hoyer knows the German Foreign Office well: He served as Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office from 1994-1998 in the last Christian Democrat-Liberal government. He’s known as a loyal European and a believer in a strong transatlantic alliance.

Thomas Kossendey, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Defense Ministry

Germany’s Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry of Defense, Thomas Kossendey, is not a new face: He has held the post since 2006 and has worked for decades on defense issues in the Bundestag.

Norbert Röttgen, Federal Minister for the Environment

Norbert Röttgen, Germany's new environmental minister, shares a very close relationship with fellow Christian Democrat Angela Merkel. Although he studied law and justice, from day one as Federal Minister for the Environment, he has made climate change and nuclear safety his priorities.

Karl Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg, Minister of Defense

Von Guttenberg is the rising star in the CSU who was named the new defense minister. He brings with him foreign policy expertise and a dynamic, can-do reputation. His experience in Afghanistan and in the Bundestag foreign affairs committee will surely be tested during his first weeks in office.