Frank-Walter Steinmeier

German politician, president of Germany since 2017 · Germany · Politicians · Born 1956 · age 70

Frank-Walter Steinmeier is read about 3,524 times a day, in 97 languages.

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Germany's president since 2017, twice foreign minister before that - a behind-the-scenes architect of welfare reform who ran for chancellor once and lost, now criticized for going soft on autocracies in the name of business.

Politicians Politician Politics Law Germany Europe 20th Century

A life in dates

2022Collar of the Order of Isabella the CatholicAwardDecoration for Exceptional MeritsAward2021“At the war's end, the death toll of the peoples of the Soviet Union numbered some 27 million.”In their words18 June 2021As quoted in the Anniversary of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union speech, 18 June 2021Read the whole statement

“Officials at the Reich Security Main Office planned the annihilation with cynical precision.”In their words18 June 2021As quoted in the Anniversary of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union speech, 18 June 2021Read the whole statement

“Those who waged this war killed people in every imaginable way, with an unprecedented degree of brutality and cruelty.”In their words18 June 2021As quoted in the Anniversary of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union speech, 18 June 2021Read the whole statement

“We are here to remember the huge contribution of the men and women from the ranks of the Red Army who fought against Nazi Germany.”In their words18 June 2021As quoted in the Anniversary of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union speech, 18 June 2021Read the whole statement

2019Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Three StarsAward2018Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of FinlandAwardThe honorary doctor of Lebanese UniversityAward2017Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double CrossAwardGrand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of GermanyAwardMore about this, 2017Grand Officer of the Legion of HonourAwardOrder of Merit of the Ministry of Foreign AffairsAwardPresident of GermanyOffice2016Grand Cross of Honor for Services to the Republic of AustriaAwardHonorary Doctor of the University of PaderbornAward2015Honorary Doctor of the Hebrew University of JerusalemAward2013Federal Minister for Foreign AffairsOffice2013-20172009Member of the German BundestagOffice2009-20172008Chairman of the Social Democratic PartyOffice2007Grand Cross of Royal Norwegian Order of MeritAwardVice-Chancellor of GermanyOffice2007-20092006Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian RepublicAward2005Federal Minister for Foreign AffairsOffice2005-20092002Secretary of stateOffice2002-20051999Chancellery Chief of StaffOffice1999-20051956Born5 January 1956

Also in Deutsch

Photos 5

Frank-Walter Steinmeier in 2025 (cropped)

2024-06-11 Anteilnahme Mannheim 011

Bonn Verfassungsfest - Haus der Geschichte - Hurra Deutschland

Steinmeier

Visita Oficial del Presidente de Alemania, Fran-Walter Steinmeier

In their own words 4

Frank-Walter Steinmeier

4 statements, newest first

At the war's end, the death toll of the peoples of the Soviet Union numbered some 27 million.
Jun 18, 2021, As quoted in the Anniversary of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union speech, 18 June 2021, Own words
Officials at the Reich Security Main Office planned the annihilation with cynical precision.
Jun 18, 2021, As quoted in the Anniversary of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union speech, 18 June 2021, Own words
Those who waged this war killed people in every imaginable way, with an unprecedented degree of brutality and cruelty.
Jun 18, 2021, As quoted in the Anniversary of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union speech, 18 June 2021, Own words

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Awards

Decoration for Exceptional Merits2022

Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic2022

Knight of the Order of the Elephant2021

Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Three Stars2019

Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry2018

Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland2018

The honorary doctor of Lebanese University2018

Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour2017

Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany2017

Order of Merit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs2017

Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross2017

Grand Cross of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria2016

Honorary Doctor of the University of Paderborn2016

Ignatz Bubis Award2016

Honorary Doctor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem2015

Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Portugal2009

Grand Cross of Royal Norwegian Order of Merit2007

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic2006

Honorary Doctor of the University of Athens

Order of the Falcon

Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

Order of Stara Planina

Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

National Order of Merit

Order pro Merito Melitensi

Order of the Netherlands Lion

Royal Order of the Seraphim

Order of the Bath

Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau

Order of Makarios III

Order of the Star of Romania

Family

Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Partners

Spouse Elke Büdenbender

Child Merit Steinmeier

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About this person

Born 5 January 1956, Steinmeier holds a law doctorate and spent the 1990s as a career civil servant close to Gerhard Schröder, following him from Lower Saxony to the Chancellery in 1998. As Chief of Staff from 1999 to 2005, he helped design Agenda 2010, the controversial welfare overhaul that split his own Social Democratic Party. He became Foreign Minister in Angela Merkel's first grand coalition in 2005, added the vice-chancellorship in 2007, then led the SPD into the 2009 election as their candidate for chancellor - and lost badly. A second stint as Foreign Minister followed from 2013 to 2017, before the Federal Convention elected him president in February 2017 with 74% of the vote, then re-elected him in 2022 with 78%. His approach to Russia and China - accommodating, trade-focused - has drawn sharp criticism for putting German commercial interests ahead of human rights.

Country

Germany