A number of presidential offices have existed in Germany since the collapse of the German Empire in 1918.

The Weimar Constitution of August 1919 created the office of President of the Reich ( German: Reichspräsident). Upon the death of Paul von Hindenburg in August 1934, the office was left vacant, with Adolf Hitler becoming head of state as Führer und Reichskanzler (retroactively approved by a referendum). In April–May 1945, Karl Dönitz briefly became President upon the suicide of Hitler (in accordance with Hitler's last will and testament).

The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany of May 1949 created the office of Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany ( German: Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland). Since German reunification in 1990, the President has been the head of state for all of Germany.

The East German constitution of October 1949 created the office of President of the German Democratic Republic ( German: Präsident der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik). Upon the death of Wilhelm Pieck in 1960, the office of president was replaced by a collective head of state, the Staatsrat ("State Council"). After the Staatsrat was abolished on 5 April 1990, the president of the Volkskammer ("People's Chamber") served as head of state until East Germany joined the Federal Republic on 3 October 1990

German Reich (1871–1945)

Weimar Republic (1919–1933)

† denotes people who died in office.

Portrait	Reichspräsident	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party		Election
	Ebert, Friedrich Friedrich Ebert (1871–1925)	11 February 1919	28 February 1925 †	6 years, 17 days		SPD	1919
	Luther, Hans Hans Luther (1879–1962) Acting [a]	28 February 1925	12 March 1925	12 days		Non partisan	–
	Simons, Walter Walter Simons (1861–1937) Acting [b]	12 March 1925	12 May 1925	61 days		Non partisan	–
	Hindenburg, Paul Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934)	12 May 1925	2 August 1934 †	9 years, 82 days		Non partisan	1925 1932

Nazi Germany (1933–1945)

† denotes people who died in office.

Portrait	Reichspräsident	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party		Election
	Hindenburg, Paul Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934)	12 May 1925	2 August 1934 †	9 years, 82 days		Non partisan	1925 1932
	Hitler, Adolf Adolf Hitler (1889–1945) Führer und Reichskanzler	2 August 1934	30 April 1945 †	10 years, 271 days		NSDAP	–
	Dönitz, Karl Großadmiral Karl Dönitz (1891–1980)	30 April 1945	23 May 1945	23 days		NSDAP	–

German Democratic Republic (East Germany) (1949–1990)

† denotes people who died in office.

Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party
President of the Republic Präsident der Republik
	Pieck, Wilhelm Wilhelm Pieck (1876–1960)	11 October 1949	7 September 1960 †	10 years, 332 days		SED
	Dieckmann, Johannes Johannes Dieckmann (1893–1969) Acting [c]	7 September 1960	12 September 1960	5 days		LDPD
Chairman of the State Council Vorsitzender des Staatsrats
	Ulbricht, Walter Walter Ulbricht (1893–1973)	12 September 1960	1 August 1973 †	12 years, 323 days		SED
	Ebert, Friedrich Friedrich Ebert Jr. (1894–1979) Acting [d]	1 August 1973	3 October 1973	63 days		SED
	Stoph, Willi Willi Stoph (1914–1999)	3 October 1973	29 October 1976	3 years, 26 days		SED
	Honecker, Erich Erich Honecker (1912–1994)	29 October 1976	18 October 1989 (resigned)	12 years, 354 days		SED
	Krenz, Egon Egon Krenz (born 1937)	18 October 1989	6 December 1989 (resigned)	49 days		SED
	Gerlach, Manfred Manfred Gerlach (1928–2011)	6 December 1989	5 April 1990 (office abolished)	120 days		LDPD
President of the People's Chamber Präsident der Volkskammer
	Bergmann-Pohl, Sabine Sabine Bergmann-Pohl (born 1946)	5 April 1990	2 October 1990 ( office abolished)	180 days		CDU

Federal Republic of Germany (1949–present)

† denotes people who died in office.

Portrait	Bundespräsident	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party		Election
	Heuss, Theodor Theodor Heuss (1884–1963)	12 September 1949	12 September 1959	10 years		FDP	1949 1954
	Lübke, Heinrich Heinrich Lübke (1894–1972)	13 September 1959	30 June 1969 (resigned)	9 years, 290 days		CDU	1959 1964
	Heinemann, Gustav Gustav Heinemann (1899–1976)	1 July 1969	30 June 1974	4 years, 364 days		SPD	1969
	Scheel, Walter Walter Scheel (1919–2016)	1 July 1974	30 June 1979	4 years, 364 days		FDP	1974
	Carstens, Karl Karl Carstens (1914–1992)	1 July 1979	30 June 1984	4 years, 365 days		CDU	1979
	Weizsäcker, Richard Richard von Weizsäcker (1920–2015)	1 July 1984	30 June 1994	9 years, 364 days		CDU	1984 1989
	Herzog, Roman Roman Herzog (1934–2017)	1 July 1994	30 June 1999	4 years, 364 days		CDU	1994
	Rau, Johannes Johannes Rau (1931–2006)	1 July 1999	30 June 2004	4 years, 365 days		SPD	1999
	Köhler, Horst Horst Köhler (born 1943)	1 July 2004	31 May 2010 (resigned)	5 years, 334 days		CDU	2004 2009
	Böhrnsen, Jens Jens Böhrnsen (born 1949) Acting [e]	31 May 2010	30 June 2010	30 days		SPD	–
	Wulff, Christian Christian Wulff (born 1959)	30 June 2010	17 February 2012 (resigned)	1 year, 232 days		CDU	2010
	Seehofer, Horst Horst Seehofer (born 1949) Acting [e]	17 February 2012	18 March 2012	30 days		CSU	–
	Gauck, Joachim Joachim Gauck (born 1940)	18 March 2012	18 March 2017	5 years		Independent	2012
	Steinmeier, Frank-Walter Frank-Walter Steinmeier (born 1956)	19 March 2017	Incumbent	7 years, 43 days		SPD	2017 2022

Timeline

See also

• German Emperor
  • List of German monarchs
• President of Germany
• President of Germany (1919–1945)
• Leadership of East Germany
• President of East Germany
• Chancellor of Germany
  • List of chancellors of Germany

Notes