List of heads of state of Germany

This is a list of the heads of state of Germany, from the Unification of Germany in 1871 to the present day.

From 1871 to 1918 the head of state was the Emperor, who was the same person as the King of Prussia according to the Constitution. Germany became a republic under the Constitution of 1919 and the monarch was replaced by a President with semi-presidential powers. In 1934 when President von Hindenburg died, Chancellor Adolf Hitler called for a referendum in 1934 which was to merge the offices of President and Chancellor, after the result he became Führer and Chancellor.

Monarchs (1871–1918)

The succession to the throne of Germany was the same as the succession to the throne of the Prussia.

Monarch			Reign			Position	Royal House
#	Portrait	Name	Reign start	Reign end	Duration
1		Wilhelm I (1797–1888)	18 January 1871	9 March 1888	17 years, 51 days	German Emperor Deutscher Kaiser	House of Hohenzollern
2		Friedrich III (1831–1888)	9 March 1888	15 June 1888	98 days	German Emperor Deutscher Kaiser	House of Hohenzollern
3		Wilhelm II (1859–1941)	15 June 1888	9 November or 28 November 1918 (Abdicated)	30 years, 147 days	German Emperor Deutscher Kaiser	House of Hohenzollern

President (1919–1945)

Under the 1919 Constitution, the first republican constitution of Germany, the President replaced the monarch as ceremonial head of state with semi-presidential powers. The President was to be elected by universal suffrage for a seven-year term. In the event of a vacancy the Chancellor served as Acting President, but in case of a longer vacancy parliament was to decide on the Acting President by law. However, the first President, Friedrich Ebert, was elected by the National Assembly; he also acted as head of state during the revolutionary period, as Co-Chairman of the Council of the People's Deputies, together with Hugo Haase from 10 November 1918 until 29 December 1918 and thereafter together with Philipp Scheidemann.

Status

  Denotes Acting President

President			Term of Office			Position	Political party
#	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Duration
style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white;"|1		Friedrich Ebert (1871–1925)	11 February 1919	28 February 1925 (Died in Office)	6 years, 17 days	President of the Reich Reichspräsident	SPD
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;"|		Hans Luther (1879–1962)	28 February 1925	12 March 1925	12 days	Chancellor Reichskanzler	Independent
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;"|		Walter Simons (1861–1937)	12 March 1925	12 May 1925	61 days	President of the Supreme Court Präsident des Reichsgerichts	Independent
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;"|2		General Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934)	12 May 1925	2 August 1934 (Died in Office)	9 years, 82 days	President of the Reich Reichspräsident	Independent

№	Portrait	Name	Term	Tenure		Election Year/Voter Percentage	Affiliation
align=center rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Nazi Party/meta/color;" |3		Adolf Hitler (1889–1945)	align=center style="background: Template:Nazi Party/meta/color;" |1	2 August 1934	30 April 1945	—	NSDAP
Died in Office
align=center rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Nazi Party/meta/color;" |4		Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz (1891–1980)	align=center style="background: Template:Nazi Party/meta/color;" |1	30 April 1945	23 May 1945	—	NSDAP

President

Under the current Constitution, the second republican constitution of Germany, the President is the ceremonial head of state. The President is elected indirectly for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the President of the Bundesrat serves as Acting President.

Status

  Denotes President of the Bundesrat as Acting President

№	Portrait	Name	Term	Tenure		Election Year/Voter Percentage	Affiliation
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |—		Karl Arnold (1901–1958)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |—	7 September 1949	12 September 1949	—	CDU
As President of the Bundesrat he acted as President until after the 1949 presidential election
align=center rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" |5		Theodor Heuss (1884–1963)	align=center style="background: Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" |1	13 September 1949	12 September 1954	1949 — %	FDP
align=center style="background: Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" |2			13 September 1954	12 September 1959	1954 — %
align=center rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |6		Heinrich Lübke (1894–1972)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |1	13 September 1959	12 September 1964	1959 — %	CDU
align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |2			13 September 1964	30 June 1969	1964 — %
Resigned
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |7		Gustav Heinemann (1899–1976)	align=center style="background: Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	1 July 1969	30 June 1974	1969 — %	SPD
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" |8		Walter Scheel (1919–2016)	align=center style="background: Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" |1	1 July 1974	30 June 1979	1974 — %	FDP
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |9		Karl Carstens (1914–1992)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |1	1 July 1979	30 June 1984	1979 — %	CDU
align=center rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |10		Richard von Weizsäcker (1920–2015)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |1	1 July 1984	30 June 1989	1984 — %	CDU
align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |2			1 July 1989	30 June 1994	1989 — %
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |11		Roman Herzog (1934–2017)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |1	1 July 1994	30 June 1999	1994 — %	CDU
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |12		Johannes Rau (1931–2006)	align=center style="background: Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	1 July 1999	30 June 2004	1999 — %	SPD
align=center rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |13		Horst Köhler (1943–)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |1	1 July 2004	30 June 2009	2004 — %	CDU
align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |2			1 July 2009	31 May 2010	2009 — %
Resigned
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |—		Jens Böhrnsen (1949–)	align=center style="background: Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |—	31 May 2010	1 July 2010	—	SPD
As President of the Bundesrat he acted as President until after the 2010 presidential election
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |14		Christian Wulff (1959–)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (Germany)/meta/color;" |1	2 July 2010	17 February 2012	2010 — %	CDU
Resigned
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Christian Social Union in Bavaria/meta/color;" |—		Horst Seehofer (1949–)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Social Union in Bavaria/meta/color;" |—	17 February 2012	18 March 2012	—	CSU
As President of the Bundesrat he acted as President until after the 2012 presidential election
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;" |15		Joachim Gauck (1940–)	align=center style="background: Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;" |1	18 March 2012	18 March 2017	2012 — %	Independent
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |16		Frank-Walter Steinmeier (1956–)	align=center style="background: Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	19 March 2017		2017 — %	SPD

Leader of East Germany

During the East German period the title of the heads of state varies from President to Chairman of the Council.

Status

  Denotes Acting President

№	Portrait	Name	Term	Tenure		Election Year/Voter Percentage	Affiliation
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Liberal Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |—		Johannes Dieckmann (1893–1969)	align=center style="background: Template:Liberal Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |—	7 October 1949	11 October 1949	—	LDPD
As President of the People's Chamber he acted as President until after the 1949 presidential election.
align=center rowspan=4 style="background:Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1		Wilhelm Pieck (1876–1960)	align=center style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	11 October 1949	1953	1949 — %	SED
align=center style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |2			1953	1957	1953 — %
align=center style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |3			1957	7 September 1960	1957 — %
Died in Office.
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Liberal Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |—		Johannes Dieckmann (1893–1969)	align=center style="background: Template:Liberal Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |—	7 September 1960	12 September 1960	—	LDPD
As President of the People's Chamber he acted as President after the death of Wilhelm Pieck.
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |2		Walter Ulbricht (1893–1973)	align=center style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	12 September 1960	1 August 1973	—	SED
Died in Office.
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |—		Friedrich Ebert, Jr. (1894–1979)	align=center style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |–	1 August 1973	3 October 1973	—	SED
As Deputy Chairman of the State Council he acted as Chairman after the death of Walter Ulbricht.
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |3		Willi Stoph (1914–1999)	align=center style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	3 October 1973	29 October 1976	—	SED
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |4		Erich Honecker (1912–1994)	align=center style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	29 October 1976	18 October 1989	—	SED
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |5		Egon Krenz (1937–)	align=center style="background: Template:Socialist Unity Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	18 October 1989	6 December 1989	—	SED
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Liberal Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |6		Manfred Gerlach (1928–2011)	align=center style="background: Template:Liberal Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color;" |1	6 December 1989	5 April 1990	—	LDPD
align=center rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (East Germany)/meta/color;" |–		Sabine Bergmann-Pohl (1946–)	align=center style="background: Template:Christian Democratic Union (East Germany)/meta/color;" |–	5 April 1990	2 October 1990	—	CDU
As President of the People's Chamber she acted as President until the German reunification

Styles of the Heads of State

Country	Years	Title of Head of State
German Empire	1871–1918	German Emperor Deutscher Kaiser
Weimar Republic	1919–1933	President of the Reich Reichspräsident
Nazi Germany	1933–1934	President of the Reich Reichspräsident
	1934–1945	Leader and Chancellor Führer und Reichskanzler
	1945	President of the Reich Reichspräsident
West Germany	1949–1990	Federal President Bundespräsident
East Germany	1949–1960	President of the German Democratic Republic Präsident der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik
	1960–1990	Chairman of the State Council Vorsitzender des Staatsrates
Reunited Germany	1990–Present	Federal President Bundespräsident

Living former heads of state

Name	Term	Office	Date of birth
Egon Krenz	1989	President of East Germany	19 March 1937
Sabine Bergmann-Pohl	1990	Acting President of East Germany	20 April 1946
Horst Köhler	2004–2010	President of Germany	22 February 1943
Jens Böhrnsen	2010	Acting President of Germany	12 June 1949
Christian Wulff	2010–2012	President of Germany	19 June 1959
Horst Seehofer	2012	Acting President of Germany	4 July 1949