Born on 22 June 1945 in Berlin; married
Studied publishing, law, economics and political science at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz
1971
Obtained degree in economics
Since 1973
Member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP)
1975
Director of the Office for Economics and Transport of the City of Mainz
1977
Director of the Office for Economics and Real Estate
1981
Full-time councillor in the City of Mainz, Head of the Economics Department
1981 - 1983
District Chairman of the FDP in Rheinhessen-Vorderpfalz
Since 1983
State Chairman of the FDP in Rhineland-Palatinate
Since 1983
Member of the Federal Executive of the FDP
1987 - 1994
Minister of State for Economics and Transport
1987 - 1998
Member of the State Assembly of Rhineland-Palatinate
1988 - 1998
Deputy Minister-President of the state (Land) of Rhineland-Palatinate
1994 - 1998
Minister of State for Economics and Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture
Since 1995
Deputy Federal Chairman of the FDP
Since 1998
Member of the German Bundestag
Since 1998
Deputy Chairman of the FDP parliamentary group in the German Bundestag
Since October 2009
Federal Minister of Economics and Technology
