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and their mayors 2011
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German Mayors
Researched and edited by Jonas Schorr
9 November 2011: Germany is a country of thousands of medium-sized towns and cities, all with directly elected mayors. The mayors’ terms of office vary between five and nine years, depending on the state. Only four cities, Berlin, Hamburg, München (Munich) and Köln (Cologne), are Millionenstädte - cities with a population of more than one million. Another nine German cities have a population of more than 500,000 people. Each municipal council is headed by an elected mayor, known as Bürgermeister - or Oberbürgermeister (lord mayor) in larger cities.
According to statistics from 2010 by the CIA World Factbook, 74 per cent of Germany’s total population - some 63 million people - currently live in the country’s urban areas, ie in its approximately 6,000 towns and cities. The country’s 300 largest cities are home to nearly half of all Germans. However, between 2010 and 2015, the projected size of Germany’s urban population is no longer expected to grow, given its already high rate of urbanisation and a generally decreasing population.
Mayors of the largest German cities
(Readers are invited to supply information on additional German cities and mayors. Please insert ‘German mayors’ in the subject line of any emails.)
|
City, size
website and state |
Mayor
(Mr, Ms) |
Elections
|
Profile
|
| Aachen Popl: 258,664 www.aachen.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Marcel Philipp (Mr) | Elected 2009 Next elections 2015 |
Born 1971, formerly art master and conservator, active in local politics since early 1990s and councilor since 1999 Party: CDU* |
| Augsburg Popl: 264,708 www.augsburg.de (Bavaria) |
Kurt Gribl (Mr) | Elected 2008 Next elections 2014 |
Born 1964, PhD in law from University of Augsburg and practicing lawyer Party: CSU* |
| Berlin Popl: 3,460,725 www.berlin.de (Federal capital, city-state) |
Klaus Wowereit (Mr) | Elected since 2001 (2006, 2011) Next elections 2016 |
Born 1953, studied law at Free University Berlin, became Berlin's youngest councilor at age 30, famous as Germany's first openly gay mayor, also Vice Chairman of SPD Party: SPD* |
| Bielefeld Popl: 323,270 www.bielefeld.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Pit Clausen (Mr) | Elected 2009 Next elections 2015 |
Born 1962, studied law at University of Bielefeld and practicing lawyer, councilor since 1994, lost first candidature in 2004; Party: SPD |
| Bochum Popl: 374,737; www.bochum.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Ottilie Scholz (Ms) | Elected since 2004 (2009) Next elections 2015 |
Born 1948, PhD in sociology, psychology and pedagogy, politically active since 1980s, city manager of Castrop-Rauxel 1997-9 Party: SPD |
| Bonn Popl: 324,899; www.bonn.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Jürgen Nimptsch (Mr) | Elected 2009 Next elections 2015 |
Born 1954, teacher, actor, school director 1996-2009 Party: SPD |
| Bremen Popl: 547,340; www.bremen.de (Free and Hanseatic city, city-state) |
Jens Böhrnsen (Mr) | Elected 2005 (2007, 2011); Next elections 2015 |
Born 1949, studied law at University of Kiel, judge, coucilor since 1995, President of Federal Council of Germany 2009-2010 and shortly President of the Federal Republic of Germany Party: SPD |
| Cologne / Köln Popl: 1,007,119 www.stadt-koeln.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Jürgen Roters (Mr) | Elected 2009 Next elections 2015 |
Born 1949, national champion in athletics, then lawyer, now also President of the German athletics team Party: SPD, candidature also supported by Greens* |
| Dortmund Popl: 580,444; www.dortmund.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Ullrich Sierau (Mr) | Elected 2009 (2010) Next elections 2015 |
Born 1956, fled East Germany in his youth, studied urban planning at TU Dortmund, active civil servant since 1986 Party: SPD |
| Dresden Popl: 523,058; www.dresden.de (State capital of Saxony) |
Helma Orosz (Ms) | Elected 2008 Next elections 2015 |
Born 1953, kindergarden teacher by vocation who became principle, started studies in public administration aged 45, engaged in politics since 2000 Party: CDU |
| Duisburg Popl: 489,559; www.duisburg.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Adolf Sauerland (Mr) | Elected since 2004 (2009) Next elections 2015 |
Born 1955, studied mechanical engineering, history and pedagogy in Duisburg, CDU party member since 1980; survived confidence vote in 2010 after Love Parade catastrophy with 22 casualties; may face a recall referendum in March 2012 Party: CDU |
| Düsseldorf Popl: 588,735; www.duesseldorf.de (State capital of North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Dirk Elbers (Mr) | Elected 2008 Next elections 2014 |
Born 1959, studied business administration and became real estate manager, councilor since 1996, elected mayor in 2004, then Lord mayor in 2008 after sudden death of incumbent Party: CDU |
| Essen Popl: 574,635 www.essen.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Reinhard Paß (Mr) | Elected 2009 Next elections 2015 |
Born 1955, studied chemistry, councilor since 1994 Party: SPD |
| Frankfurt am Main Popl: 679,664; www.frankfurt.de (Hesse) |
Peter Feldmann (Mr) | Elected in 2012 Next elections 2018 |
Born 1959, an economist and political scientist. First Jewis mayor of a major VGerman city since WWII. One of the founders of the group Jewish Social Democrats within the Social Democratic Party Party: SPD |
| Hamburg Popl: 1,786,448; www.hamburg.de (Free and Hanseatic city, city-state) |
Olaf Scholz (Mr) | Elected 2011 Next elections 2015 |
Born 1958, lawyer, active in politics since the 1975, general secretary of the SPD, 2002-2004, and Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, 2007-2009 Party: SPD |
| Hanover / Hannover Popl: 522,686; www.hannover.de (State capital of Lower Saxony) |
Stephan Weil (Mr) | Elected 2006 Next elections 2014 |
Born 1958, lawyer, politically active since mid-1990s, chairs the board of trustees of several public and and private organisations Party: SPD |
| Karlsruhe Popl: 294,761 www.karlsruhe.de (Baden-Württemberg) |
Heinz Fenrich (Mr) | Elected since 1998 (2006) Next elections 2014 |
Born 1945, studied business finance, worked at a bank, councilor since 1980, since 1991 mayor before becoming Lord Mayor, Presidium Member of the Federation of German Cities and Towns Party: CDU |
| Leipzig Popl: 522.883 www.leipzig.de (Saxony) |
Burkhard Jung (Mr) | Elected 2006 Next elections 2013 |
Born 1958, first teacher then school principal, involved in 2012 Leipzig Olympic Games bid and 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Presidium Member at EUROCITIES and German Association of Towns and Cities Party: SPD |
| Mannheim Popl: 313,174 www.mannheim.de (University town, Baden-Württemberg) |
Peter Kurz (Mr) | Elected 2007 Next elections 2015 |
Born 1962, lawyer and judge, PhD, councilor since 1984, became mayor for education, culture and sports in 1999 until elected Lord mayor Party: SPD |
| Munich / München Popl: 1,353,186 www.muenchen.de (State capital, Bavaria) |
Christian Ude (Mr) | Elected 1993, 1999, 2002, 2008 Next elections 2014 |
*1947, journalist and lawyer, politically active since 1966, elected as second mayor in 1990 by the municipal council; cannot candidate again in 2014 because of age restriction instead he will be his party's candidate for state premier Party: SPD |
| Münster Popl: 279,803 www.muenster.de (University town, North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Markus Lewe (Mr) | Elected 2009 Next elections 2014 |
Born 1965, studied public administration, elected district mayor in 1999, also chairman of the supervisory board of Münster/ Osnabrück airport Party: CDU |
| Nuremberg / Nürnberg Popl: 505,664 www.nuernberg.de (Bavaria) |
Ulrich Maly (Mr) | Elected 2002, 2008 Next elections 2014 |
Born 1960, studied economics and public law, PhD, politically active since 1967, member or president of numerous supervisory boards in publicly owned companies, award juries and charities Party: SPD |
| Stuttgart Popl: 606,588 www.stuttgart.de (State capital of Baden-Württemberg) |
Wolfgang Schuster (Mr) | Elected 1997, 2004 Next elections 2012 |
Born 1949, studied law and public policy (also at École nationale d'administration, Paris), PhD, mayor of Schwäbisch Gmünd 1986-1993, deputy mayor of Stuttgart until 1996, sits in many national and international supervisory boards, has declared he would not be a candidate at the next elections Party: CDU |
| Wiesbaden Popl: 275.976 www.wiesbaden.de (State capital of Hesse) |
Helmut Müller (Mr) | Elected 2007 Next elections 2013 |
Born 1952, studied economics, PhD, involved in federal and state politics since 1984, entered local politics in 2002, was elected mayor in 2006 prior to becoming Lord mayor the following year Party: CDU |
| Wuppertal Popl: 349,721 www.wuppertal.de (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
Peter Jung (Mr) | Elected 2004, 2009 Next elections 2014 |
Born 1955, vocational training as banker, later studied business administration (European Business School, Oestrich-Winkel), 1981-2004 employed in private business sector, elected mayor in 2000 prior to becoming Lord mayor Party: CDU |
Social Democrats, SPD (“Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands”); centre-left
Christian Democrats, CDU (“Christlisch-Demokratische Union”); centre-right
Christian Social Union, CSU (“Christlich-Soziale Union”); centre-right, “sister” party of CDU active only in Bavaria
The Greens (“Die Grünen”); centre-left, environmental
**Population numbers as of 31 December 2010, compiled from the regional statistical offices in Germany and the Federal Statistical Office Germany (DESTATIS)
Local government in Germany
Additional contributions by Urs Enke, Gregor Gosciniak, Irmelind Kirchner and Jens Tessmann
Germany is a federal parliamentary democracy, made up of 16 federal states (Länder). The Länder are Northrhine Westphalia, Bavaria; Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, Hessen, Schleswig-Holstein, Sachsen-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rheinland Pfalz, Saarland, and Thuringia, and the city-states Hamburg, Berlin and Bremen. Each Land elects a regional parliament, or Landtag, for a four year term and this in turn appoints an administration (Landsregierung) headed by a minister-president (Ministerpräsident). The Länder are responsible for areas such as culture, education, environment and policing, with a number of shared responsibilities with the federal government over legal and penal issues.
In all but one of the 16 Länder, the council system exists whereby each local government, in the form of the municipal council, is generally elected on a five year term, though this can vary between four and six years. Each council is headed by an elected mayor, known as the Bürgermeister - or Oberbürgermeister in larger cities - who acts as head of both the council and the administration. The mandate can vary from four to nine years. In the Land of Hessen however, the magistrat system is used, whereby the mayor presides over magistrates appointed by the council to act as the administration. Common responsibilities of this tier include planning, water management, social welfare and the building and maintenance of schools. Some councils also engage in cultural, economic development and energy-related activities, depending on the Land.
There are around 14,000 municipalities in the 16 Lander. Above the local tier and beneath the Länder, a tier of 300 units of local administration known as Kreise (districts) also exists. These are overseen by a district council, with a mandate varying between one and four years, again according to the Land. Aside from the legislative function of its council, the administration (Landratsamt) is headed by a district president (Landrat), who is either appointed by the council or directly elected for a five to eight year term. This tier engages in the construction and maintenance of roads, some aspects of social welfare and waste management, though some are also able to engage in tourism promotion, libraries and higher education. Cities represent the lowest level within the three administrative levels (federal, state, city) in Germany. The Federation and the Länder put certain tasks to the municipalities – they are also supposed to allocate the corresponding funding with it which, in reality, is not always the case. Within the framework of self-administration, the cities organise and administrate their own voluntary activities which they also have to pay for from the cities own budgets.
Voluntary activities are fulfilled by the municipality and the municipality itself decides how these are handled. Another field of activity are the obligatory areas which are not directed from above, like water, waste disposal, energy supply and such. The municipality is free to handle activities in these fields on their own or elect to outsource them to private businesses, which has become a common practice during recent years. The so-called activities commissioned by the Land are carried out by the municipal administration in its area, as the lowest official body in the federal system. These include the organisation of elections, the registration for the military and others.
Recommended further reading
The participation of citizens in German local government
Local government in Germany shaped by regional differences
The City Mayors Foundation invites nominations for the 2012 World Mayor Prize
Klaus Wowereit, Mayor of Berlin
Christian Ude, Mayor of Munich
Peter Feldmann, Mayor of Frankfurt
Ottilie Scholz, Mayor of Bochum
Helma Grosz, Mayor of Dresden
Jens Böhrnsen, Mayor of Bremen
Jürgen Roters, Mayor of Cologne
Olaf Scholz, Mayor of Hamburg