Born on 15 May 1959 in Weeze, Kleve District; Protestant
Since 1975
Member of the CDU
1977 - 1981
Studied social education at Düsseldorf University
1981
Degree in social education
1981 - 1987
Studied law at the University of Cologne
1987
First state examination in law
1988 - 1991
Trainee lawyer at Kleve Regional Court
Since 1990
Member of the German Bundestag
1991
Second state examination in law
Since 1991
Lawyer
1991 - 2007
CDU District Chairman in Kleve
2002 - 2004
Legal officer of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag
2004 - 2005
Deputy Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag for the field of economics and labour
Since 2005
General Secretary of the CDU
Since October 2009
Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks
