Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space

The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (; abbreviated BMFTR) is a cabinet-level ministry of Germany. It is headquartered in Bonn, with an office in Berlin. The Ministry provides funding for research projects and institutions.

The ministry has been headed by Dorothee Bär since 6 May 2025.

History

The Federal Ministry for Atomic Issues was established in 1955, concentrating on research in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The ministry was renamed in 1962 to Federal Ministry of Scientific Research, with a broader scope; it was renamed again, to Federal Ministry of Education and Science, in 1969.

A separate ministry, the Federal Ministry of Research and Technology, was established in 1972. The two Ministries merged in 1994 to form the Federal Ministry for Education, Science, Research and Technology; this title was shortened to Federal Ministry for Education and Research in 1998.

With effect from May 6, 2025, responsibility for education was transferred to the BMBFSFJ. The BMFTR's area of responsibility was expanded and it was renamed the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR).

Organisation

Departments

With the creation of the BMFTR, the organisation was restructured. According to the organisational chart, which reflects the status as of November 2025, there are nine departments:

  • Department L: Management Staff
  • Department Z: Central Department
  • Department S: Strategies and Fundamental Issues
  • Department I: International and European Affairs
  • Department R: Space and Security
  • Department W: Science and Research System; Talents
  • Department T: Technological Sovereignty and Innovation
  • Department G: Health and Life Sciences
  • Department F: Providing for the Future – Research for Fundamentals and Sustainable Development

Federal Ministers

Political Party:

Name
(Born-Died)

Portrait

Party

Term of Office

Federal Minister for Atomic Affairs
Federal Minister for Nuclear Energy and Water Management
Federal Minister for Nuclear Energy
Federal Minister for Scientific Research
Federal Minister for Education and Science

1

Franz Josef Strauß
(1915–1988)
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CSU

20 October 1955

2

Siegfried Balke
(1902–1984)
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CDU

16 October 1956

3

Hans Lenz
(1907–1968)
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FDP

14 December 1962

4

Gerhard Stoltenberg
(1928–2001)
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CDU

26 October 1965

5

Hans Leussink
(1912–2008)

None

22 October 1969

6

Klaus von Dohnanyi
(born 1928)
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SPD

15 March 1972

7

Helmut Rohde
(1925–2016)
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SPD

16 May 1974

8

Jürgen Schmude
(1936–2025)
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SPD

16 February 1978

9

Björn Engholm
(born 1939)
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SPD

28 January 1981

10

Dorothee Wilms
(born 1929)
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CDU

4 October 1982

11

Jürgen Möllemann
(1945–2003)
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FDP

12 March 1987

12

Rainer Ortleb
(born 1944)
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FDP

18 January 1991

13

Karl-Hans Laermann
(1929–2024)

FDP

4 February 1994

Federal Minister for Education, Science, Research and Technology

1

Horst Ehmke
(1927–2017)
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SPD

15 December 1972

2

Hans Matthöfer
(1925–2009)
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SPD

17 May 1974

3

Volker Hauff
(born 1940)
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SPD

16 February 1978

4

Andreas von Bülow
(born 1937)
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SPD

5 November 1980

5

Heinz Riesenhuber
(born 1935)
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CDU

4 October 1982

6

Matthias Wissmann
(born 1949)
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CDU

21 January 1993

7

Paul Krüger
(born 1950)
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CDU

13 May 1993

Federal Minister for Education, Science, Research and Technology
Federal Minister for Education and Research

14/8

Jürgen Rüttgers
(born 1951)
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CDU

17 November 1994

15/9

Edelgard Bulmahn
(born 1951)
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SPD

26 October 1998

16/10

Annette Schavan
(born 1955)
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CDU

22 November 2005

17/11

Johanna Wanka
(born 1951)
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CDU

14 February 2013

18/12

Anja Karliczek
(born 1971)
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CDU

14 March 2018

19/13

Bettina Stark-Watzinger
(born 1968)
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FDP

8 December 2021

20/14

Cem Özdemir
(born 1965)
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Alliance 90/The Greens

7 November 2024

Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space

21/15

Dorothee Bär
(born 1978)
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CSU

6 May 2025

Parliamentary State Secretaries

  • 1969–1972: Klaus von Dohnanyi (SPD)
  • 1972: Joachim Raffert (SPD)
  • 1972–1978: Volker Hauff (SPD)
  • 1974–1977: Peter Glotz (SPD)
  • 1977–1981: Björn Engholm (SPD)
  • 1978–1982: Erwin Stahl (SPD)
  • 1981–1982: (SPD)
  • 1982–1987: Anton Pfeifer (CDU)
  • 1982–1991: Albert Probst (CSU)
  • 1987–1989: Irmgard Karwatzki (CDU)
  • 1991–1993: Torsten Wolfgramm (FDP)
  • 1989–1994: Norbert Lammert (CDU)
  • 1991–1998: Bernd Neumann (CDU)
  • 1994–1997: Cornelia Yzer (CDU)
  • 1997–1998: Elke Wülfing (CDU)
  • 1998–2002: Wolf-Michael Catenhusen (SPD)
  • 2002–2004: Christoph Matschie (SPD)
  • 2004–2005: Ulrich Kasparick (SPD)
  • 2005–2009: Andreas Storm (CDU)
  • 2005–2021: Thomas Rachel (CDU)
  • 2009–2013: Helge Braun (CDU)
  • 2013–2018: Stefan Müller (CSU)
  • 2018–2021: Michael Meister (CDU)
  • 2021–2022: Thomas Sattelberger (FDP)
  • 2021–2024: Jens Brandenburg (FDP)
  • 2022–2024: Mario Brandenburg (FDP)
  • 2024-2025: Claudia Müller (Grüne)
  • 2025-Incumbent: Silke Launert (CSU)
  • 2025-Incumbent: Matthias Hauer (CDU)

See also

  • Bio-economy Research and Technology Council
  • German Historical Institutes
  • Open access in Germany

References

Research, Technology and Space Germany Germany, Research, Technology and Space Category:1955 establishments in West Germany