List of justices of the Federal Constitutional Court facts for kids
Dieter Grimm, Hermann Heußner and Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde in 1989
The Federal Constitutional Court (German: Bundesverfassungsgericht, usually abbreviated BVerfG) is the federal constitutional court of Germany. It is the highest independent constitutional organ of the German judiciary, ranking equally with the other supreme federal courts, and is – at the same time – the highest federal court in Germany.
Today, 16 justices serve on the two senates of the court. This article lists the current justices and the former presidents, vice-presidents and all former justices.
Contents
Current justices of the Federal Constitutional Court
The Court is divided into two senates, each with different subject-matter jurisdiction. The court's two senates were originally staffed with twelve justices each. With effect from 1963, the number of justices per senate was reduced to eight. The eight justices per senate include the president and the vice-president of the Federal Constitutional Court, who each preside over one of the court's two senates.
First senate
Eight justices currently serve on the first senate of the Federal Constitutional Court. Listed in order of seniority, they are:
| Justice | Position (seat) |
Tenure (as justice) |
Tenure length (as justice) |
Electoral body | Proposal | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Stephan Harbarth (born 1971) |
President Presiding Justice of the First Senate (1 BT 4.7) |
30 November 2018 – Incumbent |
6 years, 25 days | Bundestag | CDU/CSU | |
| 2 | Yvonne Ott (born 1963) |
Justice (1 BR 2.8) |
8 November 2016 – Incumbent |
8 years, 47 days | Bundesrat | SPD | ||
| 3 | Josef Christ (born 1956) |
Justice (1 BT 1.8) |
1 December 2017 – Incumbent |
7 years, 24 days | Bundestag | CDU/CSU | ||
| 4 | Henning Radtke (born 1962) |
Justice (1 BR 1.6) |
16 July 2018 – Incumbent |
6 years, 162 days | Bundesrat | CDU/CSU | ||
| 5 | Ines Härtel (born 1972) |
Justice (1 BR 4.6) |
10 July 2020 – Incumbent |
4 years, 168 days | Bundesrat | SPD | ||
| 6 | Heinrich Amadeus Wolff (born 1965) |
Justice (1 BT 2.8) |
3 June 2022 – Incumbent |
2 years, 205 days | Bundestag | FDP | ||
| 7 | Martin Eifert (born 1965) |
Justice (1 BT 3.7) |
20 February 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 309 days | Bundestag | Alliance 90/The Greens | ||
| 8 | Miriam Meßling (born 1973) |
Justice (1 BR 3.7) |
17 April 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 252 days | Bundesrat | SPD | ||
Second senate
Eight justices currently serve on the second senate of the Federal Constitutional Court. Listed in order of seniority, they are:
| Justice | Position (seat) |
Tenure (as justice) |
Tenure length (as justice) |
Electoral body | Proposal | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doris König (born 1957) |
Vice-President Presiding Justice of the Second Senate (2 BT 4.6) |
2 June 2014 – Incumbent |
10 years, 206 days | Bundestag | SPD | ||
| 2 | Ulrich Maidowski (born 1958) |
Justice (2 BT 1.6) |
15 July 2014 – Incumbent |
10 years, 163 days | Bundestag | SPD | ||
| 3 | .jpg) |
Christine Langenfeld (born 1958) |
Justice (2 BR 3.7) |
20 July 2016 – Incumbent |
8 years, 158 days | Bundesrat | CDU/CSU | |
| 4 | Astrid Wallrabenstein (born 1969) |
Justice (2 BR 4.8) |
22 June 2020 – Incumbent |
4 years, 186 days | Bundesrat | Alliance 90/The Greens | ||
| 5 | Rhona Fetzer (born 1963) |
Justice (2 BT 2.6) |
11 January 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 349 days | Bundestag | SPD | ||
| 6 | Thomas Offenloch (born 1972) |
Justice (2 BT 3.7) |
11 January 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 349 days | Bundestag | FDP | ||
| 7 |  |
Peter Frank (born 1968) |
Justice (2 BR 1.8) |
21 December 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 4 days | Bundesrat | CDU/CSU | |
| 8 | Holger Wöckel (born 1976) |
Justice (2 BR 2.6) |
21 December 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 4 days | Bundesrat | CDU/CSU | ||
Presidents of the Federal Constitutional Court
The president and the vice-president of the Federal Constitutional Court are elected alternately by the Bundestag and the Bundesrat in accordance with Section 9 of the Bundesverfassungsgerichtsgesetz, and are appointed by the President of Germany in accordance with Section 10 of the Bundesverfassungsgerichtsgesetz.
To date, 10 persons have served as presidents of the Federal Constitutional Court. In chronological order, they are:
| President | Senate | Tenure (as justice) |
Tenure (as president) |
Tenure length (as president) |
Proposal | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Hermann Höpker-Aschoff (1883–1954) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 15 January 1954 (Died) |
7 September 1951 – 15 January 1954 (Died) |
2 years, 130 days | FDP | |
| 2 |  |
Josef Wintrich (1891–1958) |
First Senate | 23 March 1954 – 19 October 1958 (Died) |
23 March 1954 – 19 October 1958 (Died) |
4 years, 210 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 3 |  |
Gebhard Müller (1900–1990) |
First Senate | 8 January 1959 – 8 December 1971 |
8 January 1959 – 8 December 1971 |
12 years, 334 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 4 |  |
Ernst Benda (1925–2009) |
First Senate | 8 December 1971 – 20 December 1983 |
8 December 1971 – 20 December 1983 |
12 years, 12 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 5 | Wolfgang Zeidler (1924–1987) |
First Senate (1967–1970) Second Senate (1975–1987) |
11 August 1967 – 31 May 1970 (First Term) 7 November 1975 – 16 November 1987 (Second Term) |
20 December 1983 – 16 November 1987 |
3 years, 331 days | SPD | ||
| 6 |  |
Roman Herzog (1934–2017) |
First Senate | 20 December 1983 – 30 June 1994 |
16 November 1987 – 30 June 1994 |
6 years, 226 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 7 |  |
Jutta Limbach (1934–2016) |
Second Senate | 24 March 1994 – 10 April 2002 |
14 September 1994 – 10 April 2002 |
7 years, 208 days | SPD | |
| 8 |  |
Hans-Jürgen Papier (born 1943) |
First Senate | 27 February 1998 – 16 March 2010 |
10 April 2002 – 16 March 2010 |
7 years, 330 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 9 | _by_Sandro_Halank.jpg) |
Andreas Voßkuhle (born 1963) |
Second Senate | 7 May 2008 – 22 June 2020 |
16 March 2010 – 22 June 2020 |
10 years, 98 days | SPD | |
| 10 | |
Stephan Harbarth (born 1971) |
First Senate | 30 November 2018 – Incumbent |
22 June 2020 – Incumbent |
4 years, 186 days | CDU/CSU | |
Vice-presidents of the Federal Constitutional Court
To date, 15 persons have served as vice-presidents of the Federal Constitutional Court. Listed in chronological order, they are:
| Vice-President | Senate | Tenure as justice | Tenure as vice-president | Tenure length (as vice-president) | Proposal | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Rudolf Katz (1895–1961) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 23 July 1961 (Died) |
7 September 1951 – 23 July 1961 (Died) |
9 years, 319 days | SPD | |
| 2 | Friedrich Wilhelm Wagner (1894–1971) |
Second Senate | 19 December 1961 – 18 October 1967 |
19 December 1961 – 18 October 1967 |
5 years, 303 days | SPD | ||
| 3 | Walter Seuffert (1907–1989) |
Second Senate | 18 October 1967 – 7 November 1975 |
18 October 1967 – 7 November 1975 |
8 years, 20 days | SPD | ||
| 4 | Wolfgang Zeidler (1924–1987) |
First Senate (1967–1970) Second Senate (1975–1987) |
11 August 1967 – 31 May 1970 (First Term) 7 November 1975 – 16 November 1987 (Second Term) |
7 November 1975 – 20 December 1983 |
8 years, 43 days | SPD | ||
| 5 | |
Roman Herzog (1934–2017) |
First Senate | 20 December 1983 – 30 June 1994 |
20 December 1983 – 16 November 1987 |
3 years, 331 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 6 |  |
Ernst Gottfried Mahrenholz (1929–2021) |
Second Senate | 6 July 1981 – 24 March 1994 |
16 November 1987 – 24 March 1994 |
6 years, 128 days | SPD | |
| 7 | |
Jutta Limbach (1934–2016) |
Second Senate | 24 March 1994 – 10 April 2002 |
24 March 1994 – 14 September 1994 |
174 days | SPD | |
| 8 | Johann Friedrich Henschel (1931–2007) |
First Senate | 19 July 1983 – 13 October 1995 |
29 September 1994 – 13 October 1995 |
1 year, 14 days | FDP | ||
| 9 | Otto Seidl (1931–2022) |
First Senate | 10 June 1986 – 27 February 1998 |
13 October 1995 – 27 February 1998 |
2 years, 137 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 10 | |
Hans-Jürgen Papier (born 1943) |
First Senate | 27 February 1998 – 16 March 2010 |
27 February 1998 – 10 April 2002 |
4 years, 42 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 11 | Winfried Hassemer (1940–2014) |
Second Senate | 3 May 1996 – 7 May 2008 |
10 April 2002 – 7 May 2008 |
6 years, 47 days | SPD | ||
| 12 | |
Andreas Voßkuhle (born 1963) |
Second Senate | 7 May 2008 – 22 June 2020 |
7 May 2008 – 16 March 2010 |
1 year, 313 days | SPD | |
| 13 | Ferdinand Kirchhof (born 1950) |
First Senate | 1 October 2007 – 30 November 2018 |
16 March 2010 – 30 November 2018 |
8 years, 259 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 14 | |
Stephan Harbarth (born 1971) |
First Senate | 30 November 2018 – Incumbent |
30 November 2018 – 22 June 2020 |
1 year, 205 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 15 | Doris König (born 1957) |
Second Senate | 2 June 2014 – Incumbent |
22 June 2020 – Incumbent |
4 years, 186 days | SPD | ||
Justices of the Federal Constitutional Court
Since the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court in 1951, 118 justices (including presidents and vice-presidents) have served on the court. The shortest tenure on the court lasted only 133 days (Claus Leusser), while the longest serving member of the court served for 26 years and 56 days (Willi Geiger).
The court's justices are elected by the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, and are appointed by the President of Germany. According to Article 94 of the German Basic Law, both legislative bodies elect half of the members of the two senates. The election procedure is contained in Sections 5 and 6 of the Bundesverfassungsgerichtsgesetz.
The 118 justices are listed below in chronological order. If the date of their assumption of office – their appointment – is identical, the lower seat number is decisive for the purposes of this list.
| Justice | Position (seat) |
Senate | Tenure (as justice) |
Tenure length (as justice) |
Proposal | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
Hermann Höpker-Aschoff (1883–1954) |
President (1 BT 1.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 15 January 1954 (Died) |
2 years, 130 days | FDP | |
| 2 | Gerhard Heiland (1894–1961) |
Justice (1 BT 3.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 22 August 1961 |
9 years, 349 days | SPD | ||
| 3 | Herbert Scholtissek (1900–1979) |
Justice (1 BT 4.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1967 |
15 years, 358 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 4 | Konrad Zweigert (1900–1996) |
Justice (1 BT 5.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 11 October 1956 |
5 years, 34 days | SPD | ||
| 5 | Joachim Lehmann (1909–1979) |
Justice (1 BT 6.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1963 |
11 years, 358 days | SPD | ||
| 6 | Erwin Stein (1903–1992) |
Justice (1 BR 1.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 8 December 1971 |
20 years, 92 days | SPD | ||
| 7 |  |
Franz Wessel (1903–1958) |
Justice (1 BR 2.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 11 September 1958 (Died) |
7 years, 4 days | SPD | |
| 8 | Erna Scheffler (1893–1983) |
Justice (1 BR 3.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1963 |
11 years, 358 days | SPD | ||
| 9 | Theodor Ritterspach (1904–1999) |
Justice (1 BR 4.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 7 November 1975 |
24 years, 61 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 10 | Martin Drath (1902–1976) |
Justice (1 BR 6.1) |
First Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1963 |
11 years, 358 days | SPD | ||
| 11 |  |
Hans Georg Rupp (1907–1989) |
Justice (2 BT 1.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 7 November 1975 |
24 years, 61 days | SPD | |
| 12 | Anton Henneka (1900–1984) |
Justice (2 BT 2.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 20 December 1968 |
17 years, 104 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 13 | Julius Federer (1911–1984) |
Justice (2 BT 3.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1967 |
15 years, 358 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 14 | Gerhard Leibholz (1901–1982) |
Justice (2 BT 4.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 8 December 1971 |
20 years, 92 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 15 | Conrad Frederick Roediger (1887–1973) |
Justice (2 BT 5.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1956 |
4 years, 359 days | DP | ||
| 16 | Walter Klaas (1895–1978) |
Justice (2 BT 6.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1963 |
11 years, 358 days | SPD | ||
| 17 | |
Rudolf Katz (1895–1961) |
Vice-President (2 BR 1.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 23 July 1961 (Died) |
9 years, 319 days | SPD | |
| 18 |  |
Willi Geiger (1909–1994) |
Justice (2 BR 2.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 2 November 1977 |
26 years, 56 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 19 | Georg Fröhlich (1884–1971) |
Justice (2 BR 3.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1956 |
4 years, 359 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 20 | Claus Leusser (1909–1966) |
Justice (2 BR 4.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 18 January 1952 |
133 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 21 | Bernhard Wolff (1886–1966) |
Justice (2 BR 5.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1956 |
4 years, 359 days | SPD | ||
| 22 | Ernst Friesenhahn (1901–1984) |
Justice (2 BR 6.1) |
Second Senate | 7 September 1951 – 31 August 1963 |
11 years, 358 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 23 | Kurt Zweigert (1886–1967) |
Justice (1 BT 2.1) |
First Senate | 13 September 1951 – 14 February 1952 |
154 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 24 |  |
Wilhelm Ellinghaus (1888–1961) |
Justice (1 BR 5.1) |
First Senate | 13 September 1951 – 12 October 1955 |
4 years, 29 days | SPD | |
| 25 | Egon Schunck (1890–1981) |
Justice (2 BR 4.2) |
Second Senate | 13 September 1952 – 31 August 1963 |
10 years, 352 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 26 | |
Josef Wintrich (1891–1958) |
President (1 BT 1.2) |
First Senate | 23 March 1954 – 19 October 1958 (Died) |
4 years, 210 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 27 | Karl Heck (1896–1997) |
Justice (1 BT 2.2) |
First Senate | 2 April 1954 – 9 February 1965 |
10 years, 313 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 28 | Hans Kutscher (1911–1993) |
Justice (1 BR 5.2) Justice (2 BR 3.2) |
First Senate (1955–1956) Second Senate (1956–1970) |
12 October 1955 – 31 August 1956 1 September 1956 – 25 October 1970 (on leave from 26 October 1970 until 31 August 1971) |
15 years, 3 days | SPD | ||
| 29 | |
Gebhard Müller (1900–1990) |
President (1 BT 1.3) |
First Senate | 8 January 1959 – 8 December 1971 |
12 years, 334 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 30 | Hugo Berger (1900–1990) |
Justice (1 BR 2.2) |
First Senate | 8 January 1959 – 11 August 1967 |
8 years, 215 days | SPD | ||
| 31 | Friedrich Wilhelm Wagner (1894–1971) |
Vice-President (2 BR 1.2) |
Second Senate | 19 December 1961 – 18 October 1967 |
5 years, 303 days | SPD | ||
| 32 | Karl Haager (1911–2008) |
Justice (1 BT 3.2) |
First Senate | 9 May 1962 – 7 May 1979 |
16 years, 363 days | SPD | ||
| 33 | Wiltraut Rupp-von Brünneck (1912–1977) |
Justice (1 BR 3.2) |
First Senate | 1 September 1963 – 18 August 1977 (Died) |
13 years, 351 days | SPD | ||
| 34 | Gregor Geller (1903–1988) |
Justice (2 BR 4.3) |
Second Senate | 1 September 1963 – 8 December 1971 |
8 years, 98 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 35 | Werner Böhmer (1915–2014) |
Justice (1 BT 2.3) |
First Senate | 10 February 1965 – 5 July 1983 |
18 years, 145 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 36 | Wolfgang Zeidler (1924–1987) |
President (2 BT 1.2) (1983–1987) Vice-President (2 BT 1.2) (1975–1983) Justice (1 BR 2.3) (1967–1970) |
First Senate (1967–1970) Second Senate (1975–1987) |
11 August 1967 – 31 May 1970 (First Term) 7 November 1975 – 16 November 1987 (Second Term) |
2 years, 293 days (First Term) 12 years, 9 days (Second Term) |
SPD | ||
| 37 | Hans Brox (1920–2009) |
Justice (1 BT 4.2) |
First Senate | 1 September 1967 – 7 November 1975 |
8 years, 67 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 38 | Fabian von Schlabrendorff (1907–1980) |
Justice (2 BT 3.2) |
Second Senate | 1 September 1967 – 7 November 1975 |
8 years, 67 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 39 | Walter Seuffert (1907–1989) |
Vice-President (2 BR 1.3) |
Second Senate | 18 October 1967 – 7 November 1975 |
8 years, 20 days | SPD | ||
| 40 | Hans-Justus Rinck (1918–1995) |
Justice (2 BT 2.2) |
Second Senate | 20 December 1968 – 8 October 1986 |
17 years, 292 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 41 | Helmut Simon (1922–2013) |
Justice (1 BR 2.4) |
First Senate | 15 June 1970 – 16 November 1987 |
16 years, 115 days | SPD | ||
| 42 |  |
Walter Rudi Wand (1928–1985) |
Justice (2 BR 3.3) |
Second Senate | 26 October 1970 – 20 December 1983 |
13 years, 55 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 43 | |
Ernst Benda (1925–2009) |
President (1 BT 1.4) |
First Senate | 8 December 1971 – 20 December 1983 |
12 years, 12 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 44 | Hans Joachim Faller (1915–2006) |
Justice (1 BR 1.2) |
First Senate | 8 December 1971 – 19 July 1983 |
11 years, 223 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 45 | Martin Hirsch (1913–1992) |
Justice (2 BT 4.2) |
Second Senate | 8 December 1971 – 6 July 1981 |
9 years, 210 days | SPD | ||
| 46 | Joachim Rottmann (1925–2014) |
Justice (2 BR 4.4) |
Second Senate | 8 December 1971 – 20 December 1983 |
12 years, 12 days | FDP | ||
| 47 | Dietrich Katzenstein (1923–2008) |
Justice (1 BT 4.3) |
First Senate | 7 November 1975 – 16 November 1987 |
12 years, 9 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 48 | Konrad Hesse (1919–2005) |
Justice (1 BR 4.2) |
First Senate | 7 November 1975 – 16 July 1987 |
11 years, 251 days | FDP and SPD | ||
| 49 | Engelbert Niebler (1921–2006) |
Justice (2 BT 3.3) |
Second Senate | 7 November 1975 – 16 November 1987 |
12 years, 9 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 50 | Helmut Steinberger (1931–2014) |
Justice (2 BR 1.4) |
Second Senate | 7 November 1975 – 16 November 1987 |
12 years, 9 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 51 |  |
Gisela Niemeyer (1923–2012) |
Justice (1 BR 3.3) |
First Senate | 2 November 1977 – 28 November 1989 |
12 years, 26 days | SPD | |
| 52 |  |
Ernst Träger (1926–2015) |
Justice (2 BR 2.2) |
Second Senate | 2 November 1977 – 28 November 1989 |
12 years, 26 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 53 | Hermann Heußner (1926–1996) |
Justice (1 BT 3.3) |
First Senate | 7 May 1979 – 15 June 1989 |
10 years, 39 days | SPD | ||
| 54 | |
Ernst Gottfried Mahrenholz (1929–2021) |
Vice-President (2 BT 4.3) (1987–1994) Justice (2 BT 4.3) (1981–1987) |
Second Senate | 6 July 1981 – 24 March 1994 |
12 years, 261 days | SPD | |
| 55 | Franz Niedermaier (1925–1986) |
Justice (1 BT 2.4) |
First Senate | 5 July 1983 – 5 April 1986 (Died) |
2 years, 274 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 56 | Johann Friedrich Henschel (1931–2007) |
Vice-President (1 BR 1.3) (1994–1995) Justice (1 BR 1.3) (1983–1994) |
First Senate | 19 July 1983 – 13 October 1995 |
12 years, 86 days | FDP | ||
| 57 | |
Roman Herzog (1934–2017) |
President (BT 1.5) (1987–1994) Vice-President (1 BT 1.5) (1983–1987) |
First Senate | 20 December 1983 – 30 June 1994 |
10 years, 192 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 58 | Hans Hugo Klein (born 1936) |
Justice (1 BT 2.4) |
Second Senate | 20 December 1983 – 3 May 1996 |
12 years, 135 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 59 |  |
Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde (1930–2019) |
Justice (2 BR 4.5) |
Second Senate | 20 December 1983 – 3 May 1996 |
12 years, 135 days | SPD | |
| 60 | Otto Seidl (1931–2022) |
Vice-President (1 BT 2.5) (1995–1998) Justice (1 BT 2.5) (1986–1995) |
First Senate | 10 June 1986 – 27 February 1998 |
11 years, 262 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 61 |  |
Karin Graßhof (born 1937) |
Justice (2 BT 2.3) |
Second Senate | 6 October 1986 – 15 October 1998 |
11 years, 364 days | SPD | |
| 62 |  |
Dieter Grimm (born 1937) |
Justice (1 BR 4.3) |
First Senate | 16 July 1987 – 16 December 1999 |
12 years, 153 days | SPD | |
| 63 | Alfred Söllner (1930–2005) |
Justice (1 BT 4.4) |
First Senate | 16 November 1987 – 13 October 1995 |
7 years, 331 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 64 | Thomas Dieterich (1934–2016) |
Justice (1 BR 2.5) |
First Senate | 16 November 1987 – 4 February 1994 |
6 years, 80 days | SPD | ||
| 65 |  |
Everhardt Franßen (born 1937) |
Justice (2 BT 1.3) |
Second Senate | 16 November 1987 – 30 June 1991 |
3 years, 226 days | SPD | |
| 66 |  |
Konrad Kruis (1930–2022) |
Justice (2 BT 3.4) |
Second Senate | 16 November 1987 – 28 September 1998 |
10 years, 316 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 67 |  |
Paul Kirchhof (born 1943) |
Justice (2 BR 1.5) |
Second Senate | 16 November 1987 – 16 December 1999 |
12 years, 30 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 68 |  |
Jürgen Kühling (1934–2019) |
Justice (2 BR 1.5) |
First Senate | 12 July 1989 – 23 January 2001 |
11 years, 195 days | SPD | |
| 69 |  |
Helga Seibert (1939–1999) |
Justice (1 BR 3.4) |
First Senate | 28 November 1989 – 28 September 1998 |
8 years, 304 days | SPD | |
| 70 |  |
Klaus Winter (1936–2000) |
Justice (2 BR 2.3) |
Second Senate | 28 November 1989 – 10 October 2000 (Died) |
10 years, 317 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 71 | Bertold Sommer (born 1937) |
Justice (2 BT 1.4) |
Second Senate | 12 July 1991 – 31 July 2003 |
12 years, 19 days | SPD | ||
| 72 | Renate Jaeger (born 1940) |
Justice (1 BR 2.6) |
First Senate | 24 March 1994 – 31 October 2004 |
10 years, 221 days | SPD | ||
| 73 | |
Jutta Limbach (1934–2016) |
President (2 BT 4.4) (1994–2002) Vice-President (2 BT 4.4) (1994) |
Second Senate | 24 March 1994 – 10 April 2002 |
8 years, 17 days | SPD | |
| 74 | Evelyn Haas (born 1949) |
Justice (1 BT 1.6) |
First Senate | 14 September 1994 – 2 October 2006 |
12 years, 18 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 75 | Udo Steiner (born 1939) |
Justice (1 BT 4.5) |
First Senate | 13 October 1995 – 1 October 2007 |
11 years, 353 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 76 | Dieter Hömig (1938–2016) |
Justice (1 BR 1.4) |
First Senate | 13 October 1995 – 25 April 2006 |
10 years, 194 days | FDP | ||
| 77 | Hans-Joachim Jentsch (1937–2021) |
Justice (2 BR 3.5) |
Second Senate | 3 May 1996 – 28 September 2005 |
9 years, 148 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 78 | Winfried Hassemer (1940–2014) |
Vice-President (2 BT 3.5) (2002–2008) Justice (2 BT 3.5) (1996–2002) |
Second Senate | 3 May 1996 – 7 May 2008 |
12 years, 4 days | SPD | ||
| 79 | |
Hans-Jürgen Papier (born 1943) |
President (1 BT 2.6) (2002–2010) Vice-President (1 BT 2.6) (1998–2002) |
First Senate | 27 February 1998 – 16 March 2010 |
12 years, 17 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 80 | Siegfried Broß (born 1946) |
Justice (2 BT 3.5) |
Second Senate | 28 September 1998 – 16 November 2010 |
12 years, 49 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 81 | Lerke Osterloh (born 1944) |
Justice (2 BT 2.4) |
Second Senate | 15 October 1998 – 16 November 2010 |
12 years, 32 days | SPD | ||
| 82 | Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt (born 1950) |
Justice (1 BR 3.5) |
First Senate | 11 January 1999 – 2 February 2011 |
11 years, 83 days | SPD | ||
| 83 | Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem (born 1940) |
Justice (1 BR 4.4) |
First Senate | 16 December 1999 – 2 April 2008 |
8 years, 108 days | SPD | ||
| 84 |  |
Udo Di Fabio (born 1954) |
Justice (2 BR 1.6) |
Second Senate | 16 December 1999 – 19 December 2011 |
12 years, 3 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 85 | Brun-Otto Bryde (born 1943) |
Justice (1 BT 3.5) |
First Senate | 23 January 2001 – 2 February 2011 |
10 years, 10 days | Alliance 90/The Greens | ||
| 86 | Rudolf Mellinghoff (born 1954) |
Justice (2 BR 2.4) |
Second Senate | 23 January 2001 – 31 October 2011 |
10 years, 281 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 87 | Gertrude Lübbe-Wolff (born 1953) |
Justice (2 BT 4.5) |
Second Senate | 10 April 2002 – 2 June 2014 |
12 years, 53 days | SPD | ||
| 88 | Michael Gerhardt (born 1948) |
Justice (2 BT 1.5) |
Second Senate | 31 July 2003 – 15 July 2014 |
10 years, 349 days | SPD | ||
| 89 | Reinhard Gaier (born 1954) |
Justice (1 BR 2.7) |
First Senate | 1 November 2004 – 8 November 2016 |
12 years, 7 days | SPD | ||
| 90 |  |
Herbert Landau (born 1948) |
Justice (2 BR 3.6) |
Second Senate | 28 September 2005 – 20 July 2016 |
10 years, 296 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 91 | Michael Eichberger (born 1953) |
Justice (1 BR 1.5) |
First Senate | 25 April 2006 – 16 July 2018 |
10 years, 82 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 92 | Wilhelm Schluckebier (born 1949) |
Justice (1 BT 1.7) |
First Senate | 2 October 2006 – 1 December 2017 |
11 years, 60 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 93 | Ferdinand Kirchhof (born 1949) |
Vice-President (1 BT 4.6) (2010–2018) Justice (1 BT 4.6) (2007–2010) |
First Senate | 1 October 2007 – 30 November 2018 |
11 years, 60 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 94 | .jpg) |
Johannes Masing (born 1959) |
Justice (1 BR 4.5) |
First Senate | 2 April 2008 – 10 July 2020 |
12 years, 99 days | SPD | |
| 95 | |
Andreas Voßkuhle (born 1963) |
President (2 BR 4.7) (2010–2020) Vice-President (2 BR 4.7) (2008–2010) |
Second Senate | 7 May 2008 – 22 June 2020 |
12 years, 46 days | SPD | |
| 96 | Andreas Paulus (born 1963) |
Justice (1 BT 2.7) |
First Senate | 16 March 2010 – 3 June 2022 |
12 years, 79 days | FDP | ||
| 97 | Monika Hermanns (born 1959) |
Justice (2 BT 2.5) |
Second Senate | 16 November 2010 – 11 January 2023 |
12 years, 56 days | SPD | ||
| 98 | Peter M. Huber (born 1959) |
Justice (2 BT 3.6) |
Second Senate | 16 November 2010 – 11 January 2023 |
12 years, 56 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 99 |  |
Susanne Baer (born 1964) |
Justice (1 BT 3.6) |
First Senate | 2 February 2011 – 20 February 2023 |
12 years, 21 days | Alliance 90/The Greens | |
| 100 | Gabriele Britz (born 1968) |
Justice (1 BR 3.6) |
First Senate | 2 February 2011 – 17 April 2023 |
12 years, 74 days | SPD | ||
| 101 | .jpg) |
Peter Müller (born 1955) |
Justice (2 BR 1.7) |
Second Senate | 19 December 2011 – 21 December 2023 |
12 years, 4 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 102 | Sibylle Kessal-Wulf (born 1958) |
Justice (2 BR 2.5) |
Second Senate | 19 December 2011 – 21 December 2023 |
12 years, 4 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 103 | Doris König (born 1957) |
Vice President (2 BT 4.6) (2020–) Justice (2 BT 4.6) (2014–2020) |
Second Senate | 2 June 2014 – Incumbent |
10 years, 206 days | SPD | ||
| 104 | Ulrich Maidowski (born 1958) |
Justice (2 BT 1.6) |
Second Senate | 15 July 2014 – Incumbent |
10 years, 163 days | SPD | ||
| 105 | |
Christine Langenfeld (born 1958) |
Justice (2 BR 3.7) |
Second Senate | 20 July 2016 – Incumbent |
8 years, 158 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 106 | Yvonne Ott (born 1963) |
Justice (1 BR 2.8) |
First Senate | 8 November 2016 – Incumbent |
8 years, 47 days | SPD | ||
| 107 | Josef Christ (born 1956) |
Justice (1 BT 1.8) |
First Senate | 1 December 2017 – Incumbent |
7 years, 24 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 108 | Henning Radtke (born 1962) |
Justice (1 BR 1.6) |
First Senate | 16 July 2018 – Incumbent |
6 years, 162 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| 109 | |
Stephan Harbarth (born 1971) |
President (1 BT 4.7) (2020–) Vice-President (1 BT 4.7) (2018–2020) |
First Senate | 30 November 2018 – Incumbent |
6 years, 25 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 110 | Astrid Wallrabenstein (born 1969) |
Justice (2 BR 4.8) |
Second Senate | 22 June 2020 – Incumbent |
4 years, 186 days | Alliance 90/The Greens | ||
| 111 | Ines Härtel (born 1972) |
Justice (1 BR 4.6) |
First Senate | 10 July 2020 – Incumbent |
4 years, 168 days | SPD | ||
| 112 | Heinrich Amadeus Wolff (born 1965) |
Justice (1 BT 2.8) |
First Senate | 3 June 2022 – Incumbent |
2 years, 205 days | FDP | ||
| 113 | Rhona Fetzer (born 1963) |
Justice (2 BT 2.6) |
Second Senate | 11 January 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 349 days | SPD | ||
| 114 | Thomas Offenloch (born 1972) |
Justice (2 BT 3.7) |
Second Senate | 11 January 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 349 days | FDP | ||
| 115 | Martin Eifert (born 1965) |
Justice (1 BT 3.7) |
First Senate | 20 February 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 309 days | Alliance 90/The Greens | ||
| 116 | Miriam Meßling (born 1973) |
Justice (1 BR 3.7) |
First Senate | 17 April 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 252 days | SPD | ||
| 117 | |
Peter Frank (born 1968) |
Justice (2 BR 1.8) |
Second Senate | 21 December 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 4 days | CDU/CSU | |
| 118 | Holger Wöckel (born 1976) |
Justice (2 BR 2.6) |
Second Senate | 21 December 2023 – Incumbent |
1 year, 4 days | CDU/CSU | ||
| Justice | Position (seat) |
Senate | Tenure (as justice) |
Tenure length (as justice) |
Proposal | Ref. | ||
Key
- Justice: States the name of the justice. In brackets the year of birth for justices who are still alive, and the year of birth and death for justices, who are deceased, are given.
- Position (seat): The office of the justice is listed (i.e. president, vice-president or justice). In brackets the seat number is provided: It is composed of the number of the Senate (1 or 2), the electoral body (Bundestag [BT] or Bundesrat [BR]), the respective seat of the justice (1 to 6) and a number corresponding to the chronological occupancy of the seat. Example: The indication "1 BR 4.3" shows that the justice is the third to occupy the fourth seat of the group of justices elected by the Bundesrat to the first senate.
- Senate: States on which senate the respective justice serves or has served.
- Tenure (as justice):
- First date: Specifies the date on which the justice assumed their office. This date is not identical with the date of their election.
- Last date: Indicates the last day of the term of office of the justice. In case of sitting justices, they are marked as "incumbent".
- Tenure length: States the length of time a justice is or was in office.
- Proposal: States which German political party proposed the respective justice for their office.
- Ref.: Gives a reference for the information provided in the specific row of the table.
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List of justices of the Federal Constitutional Court Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.