List of German defence ministers

This page contains a List of German defence ministers

For pre-1919 Prussian Ministers of War, see Prussian Minister of War.

Ministers of Defence, 1919–1935

• Gustav Noske (SPD) 1919–1920
• Otto Geßler (DDP) 1920–1928
• Wilhelm Groener 1928–1932
• Kurt von Schleicher 1932
• Ferdinand von Bredow (acting) 1932–1933
• Werner von Blomberg 1933–1935

Ministers of War, 1935–1938

• Werner von Blomberg 1935–1938

In 1938 the Ministry of War was abolished and replaced by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht.

Ministers of Defence of the German Democratic Republic, 1956–1990

• Willi Stoph 1956–1960
• Heinz Hoffmann 1960–1985
• Heinz Kessler 1985–1989
• Theodor Hoffmann 1989–1990
• Rainer Eppelmann 1990

Ministers of Defence of the Federal Republic, 1955-present

• Theodor Blank 1955–1956
• Franz Josef Strauß 1956–1963
• Kai-Uwe von Hassel 1963–1966
• Gerhard Schröder 1966–1969
• Helmut Schmidt 1969–1972
• Georg Leber 1972–1978
• Hans Apel 1978–1982
• Manfred Wörner 1982–1988
• Rupert Scholz 1988–1989
• Gerhard Stoltenberg 1989–1992
• Volker Rühe 1992–1998
• Rudolf Scharping 1998–2002
• Peter Struck 2002–2005
• Franz Josef Jung 2005–2009
• Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg 2009–2011
• Thomas de Maizière 2011–