City Mayors: German mayors (original) (raw)

City, Population, (State)

Mayor

Previous jobs

Annual basic salary

Aachen
249,000
(North-Rhine Westphalia)

Ms Sibylle Keupen
Born 1963
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party: Independent, supported by Greens

Studied pedagogy; Deputy chairperson of German association of art colleges for young people

€140,500

Augsburg
296,000
(Bavaria)

Ms Eva Weber
Born 1977
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2026
Party: CSU

Studied law; Worked for the Bavarian association of savings banks; Head of business & economics at the City of Augsburg; In 2014 elected to the city council.

€135,000

Berlin
3,677,000
(Federal capital, city-state)

Ms Franziska Giffey
Born 1978
Mayor since 2021; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Federal minister for families, women and young people from 2018 to 2021

€207,000

Bielefeld
344,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Pit Clausen
Born 1962
Mayor since 2009; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Studied law; Judge, specialising in work and employment matters

€160,000

Bochum
363,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Thomas Eiskirch
Born 1970
Mayor since 2015; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Degree in economics from the University of Dortmund; Member of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament from 2005 until 2015

€165,200

Bonn
331,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Ms Katja Dörner
Born 1976
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party: The Greens

Studied politics in Bonn, York and Edinburgh; From 2009 to 2020 member of the German federal parliament (Bundestag)

€165,200

Braunschweig
249,000
(Lower Saxony)

Mr Thorsten Kornblum
Born 1983
Mayor since 2021; Term ends 2029
Party: SPD

From 2009 to 2014, member of the Council of the City of Münster; From 2014 to 2020, department head at the Lower Saxony interior ministry

€140,500

Bremen
563,000
(Free and Hanseatic city, city-state)

Mr Andreas Bovenschulte
Born 1965
Mayor since 2019; Term ends 2023
Party: SPD

Studied law in Bremen; From 2007 to 2019 first deputy then mayor of Weyhe, near Bremen

€156,000

Chemnitz
243,000
(Saxony)

Mr Sven Schulze
Born 1971; Mayor since 2020
Party: SPD

Studied business at Chemnitz University; Following military service, he joined regional utility company and worked in corporate communication; Between 2015 and 2020 member of Chemnitz city council

€140,000

Darmstadt
160,000
(Hesse)

Mr Jochen Partsch
Born 1962
Mayor since 2011; Term ends 2023
Party: The Greens

Formerly worked in marketing, social services and for Darmstadt University as a lecturer

€142,000

Dortmund
587,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Thomas Westphal
Born 1967
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

In 1993 elected leader of Germany's Young Socialists (Jusos); As a mature student studied economics in Hamburg; Co-publisher of Spw, a journal for socialist politics and business; Appointed head of Dortmund's economic development department in 2014; Promoted the establishment of knowledge-based start-ups

€171,636

Dresden
555,000
(State capital of Saxony)

Mr Dirk Hilbert
Born 1971
Mayor since 2015; Term ends 2029
Party: FDP

Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor of Dresden between 2008 - 2015; Qualified in engineering and worked in aviation sector in 1990s; Subsequently; worked as Assistant Secretary Economic Affairs City of Dresden;

€144,300

Duisburg
419,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Sören Link
Born 1976
Mayor since 2012; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Member of state parliament 2005-2012; Working in education, media and home affairs committees

€165,000

Düsseldorf
601,000
(State capital of North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Stephan Keller
Born 1970
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party CDU

Studied law in Bayreuth and Birmingham; PhD from Ruhr University in Bochum; Between 2006 and 2016 worked in various capacities for the City of Düsseldorf; From 2017 to 2020 city manager in Cologne, often deputising for Mayor Henriette Reker

€172,000

Erfurt
213,000
(State capital of Thuringia)

Mr Andreas Bausewein
Born 1973
Mayor since 2006; Term ends 2024
Party: SPD

Politician; Former member of state parliament;

€131,000

Essen
579,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Thomas Kufen
Born 1973
Mayor since 2015; Term ends 2025
Party: CDU

Kufen worked in the private sector in a sales capacity from 1994 to 2004 and was a member of state Parliament from 2012 to 2015. From 2005 to 2010 state commissioner for integration in the government; Party: CDU

€172,000

Frankfurt am Main
759,000
(Hesse)

Mr Peter Feldmann
Born 1959
Mayor since 2012; Term ends 2024;In July 2022, Frankfurt's city council approved a motion for the Mayor to resign immediately, citing allegations of corruption. In November 2022, Frankfurt electors will be asked to approve a recall of the Mayor
Party: SPD

Feldmann is an economist and political scientist; First Jewish mayor of a major German city since WWII. One of the founders of the group Jewish Social Democrats within the Social Democratic Party; 1989 to 2012 served as City Councillor and party deputy Chairman focused on children, youths, the unemployed and elderly care issues;

€166,000

Freiburg
232,000
(Baden-Wurttemberg)

Mr Martin Horn
Born 1984
Mayor since 2018; Term ends 2026
Party: Independent, supported by SPD

Co-ordinator for European affairs at the City of Sindelfingen; Visiting lecturer at Protestant College of Ludwigsburg; MA in European and world politics from University of Bremen

€140,500

Gelsenkirchen
260.000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Ms Karin Welge
Born 1962
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Studied law and European politics; From 1992 to 1997 lecturer in public administration in Cologne; Elected Gelsenkirchen city councillor in 2011; Between 2015 and 2020 responsible for municipal finance

€165,000

Hagen
189,000
(North-Rhine Westphalia)

Mr Erik Schulz
Born 1966
Mayor since 2014; Term ends 2025
Party: Independent

Management career. From 2000 to 2014 managed a public sector agency

€142,000

Halle
238,000
(Sachsen Anhalt)

Mr Paul Wiegand
Born 1957
Mayor since 2012
Party: Independent

Lecturer in administrative law (1998 to 2008); Assistant mayor (Beigeordneter) at Halle (2008 to 2012)

€130,000

Hamburg
1,854,000
(Free and Hanseatic city, city-state)

Mr Peter Tschentscher
Born 1966
Mayor since 2018; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Lawyer, Doctor of Medicine; From 1994 until 2008 he practiced at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf; Hamburg Finance Senator from 2011 until 2018

€207,275

Hamm
180,000
(North-Rhine Westphalia)

Mr Marc Herter
Born 1974
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Studied law at Münster University; 1994 to 2014 member of Hamm's city council; From 2010 to 2020 member of the North-Rhine Westphalia state parliament

€142,000

Hannover (Hanover)
536,000
(State capital of Lower Saxony)

Mr Belit Onau
Born 1981
Mayor since 2019; Term ends 2027
Party The Greens

After national service, Onau studied law in Hannover and Bremen; Joined the SPD as a pupil but left the party and then attached himself to a conservative student organisation. Joined the Green Party in 2008; From 2011 to 2014 Green city councillor in Hannover; From 2013 to 2019 member of Lower Saxony state parliament

€170,500

Heidelberg
159,000
(Baden-Württemberg)

Mr Eckhardt Würzner
Born 1961
Mayor since 2006; Term ends 2022; Next elections November 2022; The incumbent Mayor will stand again
Party: Independent, supported by CDU

Lecturer and former consultant on environmental energy; Deputy Mayor 2000-2006; Since 2006 President of EU Energy Cities Network

€145,600, rising to 171,400 should he be re-elected in November 2022

Herne
157,000
(North-Rhine Westphalia)

Mr Frank Dudda
Born 1963
Mayor since 2015; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Lawyer; Practised law between 2002 and 2015

€142,000

Ingolstadt
138,000
(Bavaria)

Mr Christian Scharpf
Born 1971
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2026
Party: SPD

Apprenticeship in banking; He later studied commercial and European law; Practised law between 2002 and 2004; Between 2004 and 2020 employed by the Bavarian capital city of Munich first in the legal department, later in the lord mayor's office;

€131,300

Karlsruhe
307,000
(Baden-Württemberg)

Mr Frank Mentrup
Born 1964
Mayor since 2013; Term ends 2028
Party SPD

Trained as paramedic and doctor; 1993-2011 practised psychiatrist for children and young people; 2006-2013 member of state parliament working on youth and education issues

€165,300

Kassel
201,000
(Hesse)

Mr Christian Geselle
Born 1976
Mayor since 2017; Term ends 2023
Party: SPD

Previous occupations include police officer in Frankfurt for 10 years and lawyer; Member of the Kassel City Council for 10 years including City Treasurer 2015 - 2017

€140,500

Kiel
246,000
(Schleswig-Holstein)

Mr Ulf Kämpfer
Born 1972
Mayor since 2014; Term ends 2024
Party SPD

Studied law in Göttingen and Galway (Ireland) as well as research at Columbia Uni, NYC; Lawyer, former judge and member of the state government

€137,000

Köln (Cologne)
1,073,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Ms Henriette Reker
Born 1956
Mayor since 2015; Term ends 2025
Party: Independent

Lawyer. Survived assassination attempt on eve of polling day in 2015; The assault was prompted by her pro-migration policies; Deputy Mayor of Koln/Cologne 2010-2015 responsible for integration, social affairs and environment, Deputy Mayor in City of Gelsenkirchen 2000 - 2010. First female mayor of Koln/Cologne. Awarded Mayor of Distinction by World Mayor 2018

€171,600

Krefeld
227,000
(North-Rhine Westphalia)

Mr Frank Meyer
Born 1974
Mayor since 2014; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Politician; MA in political management; Deputy Mayor 2009-2014; City Council member 1999-2009

€142,000

Leipzig
602.000
(Saxony)

Mr Burkhard Jung
Born 1958
Mayor since 2006; Term ends 2027
Party: SPD

Teacher, later school principal; Involved in 2012 Leipzig Olympic Games bid and 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany; Board member of EUROCITIES and German Association of Towns and Cities

€144,300

Leverkusen
164,000
(North-Rhine Westphalia)

Mr Uwe Richrath
Born 1961
Mayor since 2015; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Textile retailer; City councillor from 2009 to 2015

€142,000

Lübeck
216,000
(Schleswig-Holstein)

Mr Jan Lindenau
Born 1979
Mayor since 2017; Term ends 2024
Party SPD

Lübeck city councillor from 2011 to 2018; Worked previously in the financial sector

€140,000

Ludwigshafen
172,000
(Rhineland-Palatinate)

Ms Jutta Steinruck
Born 1962
Mayor since 2018; Term ends 2025
Party SPD

From 2009 until end of 2017, Member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2017

€140,500

Magdeburg
236,000
(Saxony-Anhalt)

Ms Simone Borris
Born 1962
Mayor since 2022; Term ends 2029
Party: Independent

Completed an apprenticeship in finance before studying economy at the technical university Reichenbach; Began working for the city of Magdeburg in 1990. In October 2021, She became mayor. Borris is also a director of the local football club 1. FC Magdeburg

€131,200

Mainz
218,000
(Rhineland-Palatinate)

Mr Michael Ebling
Born 1967
Mayor since 2012; Term ends 2026
Party: SPD

Member of City Council 1994 to 2002; From 2006 to 2012 Minister of State for education and science in state government

€138,500

Mannheim
311,000
(Baden-Württemberg)

Mr Peter Kurz
Born 1962
Mayor since 2007; Term ends 2023
Party: SPD

City councillor since 1984, became mayor for education, culture and sports in 1999 until elected Lord mayor; Participated in Habitat 3; Mayor Kurz was awarded the 2021 World Mayor International Award

€140,500

Mönchengladbach
261,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Felix Heinrichs
Born 1989
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party: CDU

Studied history and politics in Düsseldorf; Between 2013 and 2020 managing director of a private care home for elderly citizens

€165,000

Mülheim / Ruhr
171,000
(North-Rhine Westphalia)

Mr Marc Buchholz
Born 1968
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party: CDU

Founded the employment agency and advice centre AkZent in 1998; The centre offered career and employment advice to students from the Mercator University in Duisburg; From 2005 to 2019 responsible for areas like education, youth and sport at the Town of Kevelae

€142,000

München (Munich)
1,488,000
(State capital, Bavaria)

Mr Dieter Reiter
Born 1958
Mayor since 2014; Term ends 2026
Party: SPD

Studied public administration, 1981-2009 worked for the city administration of Munich; became city councillor in 2009

€172,000

Münster
318,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Markus Lewe
Born 1965
Mayor since 2009; Term ends 2025
Party: CDU

Studied public administration; Elected district mayor in 1999; Chairman of the supervisory board of Münster/ Osnabrück airport

€165,000

Nürnberg (Nuremberg)
511,000
(Bavaria)

Mr Marcus König
Born 1980
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2026
Party CSU

After finishing college education, he completed a training programme in banking with the Dresdner Bank; After the merger of Dresdner Bank with Commerzbank, he managed a number of branches of the newly merged bank from 2011 to 2017

€158,000

Oberhausen
209,000
(North- Rhine Westphalia)

Mr Daniel Schranz
Born 1974
Mayor since 2015; Term ends 2025
Party: CDU

After his studies in economic history, Daniel Schranz worked for a number of educational and political institutions; From 2001 to 2015 member of Oberhausen municipal council and later leader of the CDU in the regional council of the Ruhr region

€142,000

Oldenburg
170,000
(Lower Saxony)

Mr Jürgen Krogmann
Born 1963
Mayor since 2014; Term ends 2028
Party: SPD

After community national service, Krogmann studied history and politics in Cologne and Oldenburg; From 1989 to 1993 radio reporter; 1993 to 2006 press spokesman for the City of Oldenburg; From 2008 to 2014 member of the state parliament

€132,500

Osnabrück
165,000
(Lower Saxony)

Ms Katharina Pötter
Born 1979
Mayor since 2021; Term ends 2028
Party: CDU

Studied public law in Oldenburg and gained law degree, enabling her to become a judge; From 2007 to 2019 employed by the state school authority; From 2019 to 2021 as member of the Osnabrück city council co-ordinated the response to the Covid pandemic

€140,500

Potsdam
183,000
(State capital of Brandenburg)

Mr Mike Schubert
Born 1973
Mayor since 2018; Term ends 2026
Party: SPD

Apprentices in industrial electronics and retail; Military service, as reservist detached to peace keeping in Kosovo; From 2004 to 2016 occupied various management position in Brandenburg's state government; From 2016 to 2018 responsible social services at City of Potsdam

€124,200

Rostock
208,000; (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)

Post vacant
Mayoral election in November 2022

n/a

€130,000

Saarbrücken
180,000
(State capital of Saarland)

Mr Uwe Conradt
Born 1977
Mayor since 2019; Term ends 2027
Party: CDU

BA in business from the Saarland University and an MA in media law from the Johannes-Gutenberg University in Mainz; Since 2009 member to the Saarbrücken city council. From 2012 to 2016, member of the state parliament of Saarland

€123,600

Solingen
159,000
(North-Rhine Westphalia)

Mr Tim Kurzbach
Born 1978
Mayor since 2015; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Solingen city councillor from 2004 to 2015

€142,000

Stuttgart
626,000
(State capital of Baden-Württemberg)

Mr Frank Nopper
Born 1961
Mayor since 2021; Term ends 2029
Party: CDU

Military service followed by apprenticeship at the Dresdner Bank; Studied law in Tübingen and Speyer; Mayor of the City of Backnang from 2002 to 2021

€172,000

Wiesbaden
279.000
(State capital of Hesse)

Mr Gert-Uwe Mende
Born 1974
Mayor since 2019; Term ends 2025
Party: SPD

Studied history, politics and economics at University of Göttingen; Trainee journalist; From 1991 to 1999 press spokesman for the Hesse interior minister; In 1999 appointed press spokesman and then leader of the SPD faction in the Hessian parliament

€165,000

Wuppertal
355,000
(North Rhine-Westphalia)

Mr Uwe Schneidewind
Born 1966
Mayor since 2020; Term ends 2025
Party: The Greens

Studied business & commerce at the University of Cologne. Doctorate from St Gallen University, Switzerland, in Economics and Environment; From 1998 to 2008 professor at Oldenburg University; From 2010 to 2020 Head of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy

€165,000