Vice-Chancellor of Germany
| Vice Chancellor of Germany | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of the German Government | |
| Inaugural holder | Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode |
| Formation | 1 June 1878 |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| Politics of Germany |
|---|
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Deputy to the Federal Chancellor (German: Stellvertreter des Bundeskanzlers) is a title of one of the German cabinet members. The Chancellor is the head of government and, according to the constitution, gives this title to one of the Federal Ministers. This minister can use the constitutional powers of the Chancellor when officially replacing the Chancellor. This has never happened up to now,[1] although, according to the internal regulations of the government, the Deputy chairs cabinet meetings when the Chancellor is absent.
A German Deputy of the Chancellor can be regarded as the equivalent of a deputy prime minister in other parliamentary systems. A very important difference to e.g. the Vice President of the USA is that the Deputy is not the automatic successor of a Chancellor suddenly leaving office. The Deputy is thought only as a replacement for the actual Chancellor. Should the Chancellor for example die, the Federal President appoints one of the cabinet members acting Chancellor until the parliament elects a new Chancellor.[2] When in 1974 Chancellor Brandt resigned, the Federal President asked indeed Deputy Scheel to perform the duties of the Chancellor.
Usually, a German government is based on a coalition of two or more parties. The Chancellor makes gives the title to a minister of the (largest) coalition partner. In practice it is an honorary title denoting the most important cabinet member of the coalition partner. The 18th and current Deputy of the Chancellor is Olaf Scholz (SPD). He was appointed by Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) to the position on 14 March 2018 and also serves as the Federal Minister of Finance.
Although German: Stellvertreter is the constitutional term, most Germans know the Deputy by the expression Vice Chancellor (German: Vizekanzler). Chancellor (German: Kanzler) is the traditional term for the German head of government since 1867/71. A general deputy has been introduced only in 1878 by law (German: Stellvertretungsgesetz). In the Weimar Republic of 1919-1933, the office of German: Vizekanzler was mentioned in the internal reglement of the government. The current office or title exists since the constitution of 1949.
Office
The German cabinet consists of the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers. According to the Basic Law (Constitution), the Chancellor appoints one of the ministers Vice Chancellor. Theoretically it is possible that the Chancellor appoints several Deputies. The Chancellor can also take the position away. This is different to the appointment of a Federal Minister as such: the Chancellor makes a proposal to the Federal President and then the Federal President makes the official appointment.
Since coalition governments are common in German politics, the Vice Chancellor is in most cases a minister of the junior coalition partner, often the respective party leader.
In case of the Chancellor's absence, the Vice Chancellor acts in his or her place, for instance by heading Cabinet meetings.
The Vice Chancellor will not automatically become Chancellor for the rest of the term if the Chancellor dies or becomes unable to fulfill his or her duties in any other way. It is the President who asks the Vice Chancellor to fulfill the Chancellor's duties until the Bundestag elects a new Chancellor. This has happened only once: Vice Chancellor Walter Scheel was acting Chancellor for nine days in May 1974 between Chancellor Willy Brandt’s resignation and Helmut Schmidt’s election.
History
The office was initially established by the 1878 Stellvertretungsgesetz (Deputation Act), which provided for the Imperial Chancellor appointing a deputy, officially known as Allgemeiner Stellvertreter des Reichskanzlers (General Deputy to the Imperial Chancellor). In addition to the general deputy, who would be responsible for all the affairs of the Chancellor, the Chancellor could appoint deputies with limited responsibilities. The act was revised on 28 October 1918, when the possibility of appointing deputies with limited responsibilities was removed and the Vice-Chancellor was given the right to appear before parliament.[3]
In the Weimar Republic, the office was considered less important and was usually held by the minister of justice or interior. The most known office holder is Franz von Papen, a former Chancellor who formed a coalition government of national socialists and conservatives. Chancellor became Adolf Hitler, and Papen Vice Chancellor. It became soonly obvious that the position of Vice Chancellor provided no powers and was unsuited to constrain Hitler.
In the Federal Republic (since 1949), the Chancellors had no interest in allowing the Deputy to use the title for self promotion.[4] Since 1966 it became customary that the coalition partner of the governing party received the ministry of the exterior who was also appointed Deputy. The ministry of the exterior was considered to be the most important cabinet post besides the Chancellorship. This tradition faded away in the time of Merkel's office, partially, because political heavyweights of the coalition partner chose a different ministry for personal preference.
Lists of Vice Chancellors
German Empire (Allgemeiner Stellvertreter des Reichskanzlers)
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Weimar Republic (Allgemeiner Stellvertreter des Reichskanzlers)
Political Party: DDP Centre DVP SPD DNVP
| # | Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | Term start | Age start | Term end | Age end | Days | Party | Portfolio | Cabinet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:Template:German Democratic Party/meta/color;" | 1 | .jpg)
|
Eugen Schiffer | 14 February 1860 | 5 September 1954 | 13 February 1919 | 58 | 19 April 1919 | 59 | 65 | DDP | Deputy Minister-President / Minister of Finance | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Scheidemann |
| style="background:Template:German Democratic Party/meta/color;" | 2 | 
|
Bernhard Dernburg | 17 July 1865 | 14 October 1937 | 30 April 1919 | 53 | 20 June 1919 | 53 | 51 | DDP | Deputy Minister-President / Minister of Finance | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Scheidemann |
| style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | 3 | 
|
Matthias Erzberger | 20 September 1875 | 26 August 1921 | 21 June 1919 | 43 | 3 October 1919 | 44 | 104 | Centre | Deputy Minister-President (until 14 August 1919) / Minister of Finance | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Bauer |
| style="background:Template:German Democratic Party/meta/color;" | 4 |
|
Eugen Schiffer | 14 February 1860 | 5 September 1954 | 3 October 1919 | 59 | 27 March 1920 | 60 | 176 | DDP | Minister of Justice | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Bauer |
| style="background:Template:German Democratic Party/meta/color;" | 5 | .jpg)
|
Erich Koch-Weser | 26 February 1875 | 19 October 1944 | 27 March 1920 | 45 | 21 June 1920 | 45 | 86 | DDP | Minister of the Interior | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Müller I |
| style="background:Template:German People's Party/meta/color; color:white" | 6 | 
|
Rudolf Heinze | 22 July 1865 | 26 May 1928 | 25 June 1920 | 54 | 4 May 1921 | 55 | 313 | DVP | Minister of Justice | style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | | Fehrenbach |
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | 7 | 
|
Gustav Bauer | 6 January 1870 | 16 September 1944 | 10 May 1921 | 51 | 14 November 1922 | 52 | 553 | SPD | Minister of Finance | style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | | Wirth I |
| style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | | Wirth II | ||||||||||||
| style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | 8 | .jpg)
|
Robert Schmidt | 15 May 1864 | 16 September 1943 | 13 August 1923 | 59 | 3 November 1923 | 59 | 82 | SPD | Minister for Reconstruction | style="background:Template:German People's Party/meta/color; color:white" | | Stresemann I |
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:German People's Party/meta/color; color:white" | 9 | 
|
Karl Jarres | 21 September 1874 | 20 October 1951 | 30 November 1923 | 49 | 15 December 1924 | 50 | 381 | DVP | Minister of the Interior | style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | | Marx I |
| style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | | Marx II | ||||||||||||
| style="background:Template:German National People's Party/meta/color; color:white" | 10 | 
|
Oskar Hergt | 22 October 1869 | 9 May 1967 | 28 January 1927 | 57 | 12 June 1928 | 58 | 501 | DNVP | Minister of Justice | style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | | Marx IV |
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:German Democratic Party/meta/color;" | 11 | 
|
Hermann Dietrich | 14 December 1879 | 6 March 1954 | 30 March 1930 | 50 | 30 May 1932 | 52 | 792 | DDP | Minister of Finance (from 26 June 1930) | style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | | Brüning I |
| style="background:Template:Centre Party (Germany)/meta/color; color:white" | | Brüning II |
Nazi Germany
Political Party: NSDAP
| # | Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | Term start | Age start | Term end | Age end | Days | Party | Other positions | Cabinet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;" | 1 | 
|
Franz von Papen | 29 October 1879 | 2 May 1969 | 30 January 1933 | 53 | 7 August 1934 | 54 | 554 | Non-partisan | Reichskommissar of Prussia (until 10 April 1933) | style="background:Template:Nazi Party/meta/color; color:white" | | Hitler |
Federal Republic of Germany
Political Party: FDP CDU SPD Green
| # | Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | Term start | Age start | Term end | Age end | Days | Party | Portfolio | Cabinet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 1 | 
|
Franz Blücher | 24 March 1896 | 26 March 1959 | 20 September 1949 | 53 | 29 October 1957 | 61 | 2961 | FDP/FVP | Marshall Plan (1949-1953) / Economic Cooperation (1953-1957) | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Adenauer I • II |
| style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | 2 | 
|
Ludwig Erhard | 4 February 1897 | 5 May 1977 | 29 October 1957 | 60 | 16 October 1963 | 66 | 2178 | CDU | Economic Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Adenauer III • IV • V |
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 3 | 
|
Erich Mende | 28 October 1916 | 6 May 1998 | 17 October 1963 | 46 | 28 October 1966 | 50 | 1107 | FDP | Intra-German Relations | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Erhard I • II |
| style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | 4 | 
|
Hans-Christoph Seebohm | 4 August 1903 | 17 September 1967 | 8 November 1966 | 63 | 30 November 1966 | 63 | 22 | CDU | Transport | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Erhard II |
| style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | 5 | 
|
Willy Brandt | 18 December 1913 | 8 October 1992 | 1 December 1966 | 52 | 20 October 1969 | 55 | 1054 | SPD | Foreign Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Kiesinger I |
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 6 | 
|
Walter Scheel | 8 July 1919 | 24 August 2016 | 21 October 1969 | 50 | 16 May 1974 | 54 | 1668 | FDP | Foreign Affairs | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Brandt I • II |
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 7 | .jpg)
|
Hans-Dietrich Genscher | 21 March 1927 | 31 March 2016 | 17 May 1974 | 47 | 17 September 1982 | 55 | 3045 | FDP | Foreign Affairs | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Schmidt I • II • III |
| style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | 8 | 
|
Egon Franke | 11 April 1913 | 26 April 1995 | 17 September 1982 | 69 | 1 October 1982 | 69 | 14 | SPD | Intra-German Relations | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Schmidt III |
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 9 |
|
Hans-Dietrich Genscher | 21 March 1927 | 31 March 2016 | 1 October 1982 | 55 | 17 May 1992 | 65 | 3516 | FDP | Foreign Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Kohl I • II • III • IV |
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 10 | .jpeg)
|
Jürgen Möllemann | 15 July 1945 | 5 June 2003 | 18 May 1992 | 46 | 21 January 1993 | 47 | 248 | FDP | Economic Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Kohl IV |
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 11 | 
|
Klaus Kinkel | 17 December 1936 | 4 March 2019 | 21 January 1993 | 56 | 26 October 1998 | 61 | 2104 | FDP | Foreign Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Kohl IV • V |
| style="background:Template:Alliance '90/The Greens/meta/color;" | 12 | 
|
Joschka Fischer | 12 April 1948 | 27 October 1998 | 50 | 22 November 2005 | 57 | 2583 | Green | Foreign Affairs | style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | | Schröder I • II | |
| style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | 13 | 
|
Franz Müntefering | 16 January 1940 | 22 November 2005 | 65 | 21 November 2007 | 67 | 729 | SPD | Labour and Social Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Merkel I | |
| style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | 14 | .jpg)
|
Frank-Walter Steinmeier | 5 January 1956 | 21 November 2007 | 51 | 27 October 2009 | 53 | 706 | SPD | Foreign Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Merkel I | |
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 15 | 
|
Guido Westerwelle | 27 December 1961 | 18 March 2016 | 28 October 2009 | 47 | 16 May 2011 | 49 | 565 | FDP | Foreign Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Merkel II |
| style="background:Template:Free Democratic Party (Germany)/meta/color;" | 16 | 
|
Philipp Rösler | 24 February 1973 | 16 May 2011 | 38 | 17 December 2013 | 40 | 946 | FDP | Economic Affairs | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Merkel II | |
| style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | 17 | .jpg)
|
Sigmar Gabriel | 12 September 1959 | 17 December 2013 | 54 | 14 March 2018 | 58 | 1548 | SPD | Economic Affairs (2013-2017) / Foreign Affairs (2017-2018) | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Merkel III | |
| style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party of Germany/meta/color; color:white" | 18 | 
|
Olaf Scholz | 14 June 1958 | 14 March 2018 | 59 | Incumbent | Incumbent | 2232 | SPD | Finance | style="background:Template:CDU/CSU/meta/color; color:white" | | Merkel IV |
References
- ^ Ute Mager, in: von Münch/Kunig: Grundgesetz-Kommentar II, 5. Auflage 2001, Rn. 10/11 zu Art. 69.
- ^ Georg Hermes, in: Horst Dreier (Hrsg.) Grundgesetz-Kommentar, Band 2, 2. Auflage 2006, Art. 69, Rn. 7, 17-19.
- ^ "Gesetz, betreffend die Stellvertretung des Reichskanzlers ["Stellvertretungsgesetz"] (17.03.1878)". www.documentarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 2019-08-26.
- ^ Roman Herzog, in: Maunz/Dürig: Kommentar zum Grundgesetz, 2008, Art. 69, Rn. 9.
| German Empire (1871–1918) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Weimar Republic (1919–1933) | ||
| Third Reich (1933–1945) | ||
| Federal Republic (1949–) | ||