History
Historical overview
18th/19th century
First attempts to set up a permanent system of official statistics are made in Germany as early as in the 18th century in the form of collections of material for "descriptions of the life of the state and the people". In the 19th century, the first German states establish “statistical bureaus” or “central statistical agencies”, which later evolve into the statistical offices of the Länder.
- Prussia (1805)
- Bavaria (1808)
- Württemberg (1820)
Dr. Georg Thiel
President since 2017
Dr. Georg Thiel was appointed President of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) and Federal Returning Officer on 16 October 2017. He succeeded Dieter Sarreither, who retired.
Dieter Sarreither
President from 2015 to 2017
On 2 October 2015, Dieter Sarreither was appointed President of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) and Federal Returning Officer. He succeeded Roderich Egeler, who retired.
Roderich Egeler
President from 2008 to 2015
Roderich Egeler was born in Obernkirchen (Niedersachsen) in 1950. After his economics studies in Bonn and Cologne he joined the Federal Civil Defence Agency in 1978. There Roderich Egeler worked as Assistant Head of Section, Head of Section and Head of Division. In the disaster control department, the focus of his work was on the equipment and training of the units of extended disaster control and the organisation of repair activities. Also, he was Head of the Budget Section of the Federal Civil Defence Agency for several years and was Commissioner for the Budget of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief.
Walter Radermacher
President from 2006 to 2008
Walter Radermacher has been President of the Federal Statistical Office from 22 December 2006 to 2008. He was born in Walheim (near Aachen) on 10 June 1952. After finishing his Business Administration studies, Walter Radermacher joined the Federal Statistical Office in 1978 and there he learned official statistics from scratch.
Johann Hahlen
President from 1995 to 2006
Johann Hahlen was born in Trier on 13 December 1942. After achieving his university entrance qualification, Johann Hahlen studied law in Freiburg from 1961 to 1965. This was followed by basic military service from 1966 to 1967, legal preparatory service from 1967 to 1970, and the second state examination in law in Stuttgart in June 1970
Hans Günther Merk
President from 1992 to 1995
Hans Günther Merk was born in Münchwald in the administrative district of Bad Kreuznach on 13 September 1930. After obtaining his university entrance qualification in 1950, he studied law in Mainz. In 1954, he passed the first, and in 1958 the second state examination in law.
Egon Hölder
President from 1983 to 1992
Egon Hölder was born in Pforzheim on 30 May 1927 and died on 2 September 2007. Following military service and captivity (1944 to 1946), he obtained the university entrance qualification in Pforzheim in 1947. From 1948 to 1951 he studied law and social studies including technical subjects in Karlsruhe and Heidelberg. In 1951, he passed the first state examination in law and in 1955 the second state examination in law.
Franz Kroppenstedt
President from 1980 to 1983
Franz Kroppenstedt was born in Marburg in 1931. He studied law in Marburg, too.
Before being appointed President of the Federal Statistical Office, Franz Kroppenstedt worked at the Federal Administrative Court and at the local authorities of the town of Eschwege. In 1962, he joined the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Dr. Hildegard Bartels
President from 1972 to 1980
Hildegard Bartels was born in Duisburg on 23 December 1914. After obtaining her university entrance qualification, Hildegard Bartels studied in Marburg, Leipzig, Cologne and Berlin from 1934 to 1944, first mathematics and natural science and then economics; in November 1944 she obtained a doctor’s degree (Dr. rer. pol.) in Berlin. In 1972, she became President of the Federal Statistical Office and Federal Returning Officer.
Patrick Schmidt
President from 1964 to 1972
Patrick Schmidt was born in Fécamp/France on 4 February 1907 and died on 25 July 1974.
After obtaining his university entrance qualification in Berlin, Patrick Schmidt first of all achieved a specialised qualification at the Technical University of Berlin. At the Commercial University of Berlin, he graduated as economist.
Dr. Dr. h.c. Gerhard Fürst
President from 1948 to 1964
Gerhard Fürst, the first President of the Federal Statistical Office, was born in Berlin on 1 May 1897 and died in Wiesbaden on 27 July 1988. In 1914, Gerhard Fürst obtained the university entrance qualification under war conditions. Following military service and captivity from 1914 to 1920, he studied political science and economics in Berlin and in 1923 he obtained a doctor’s degree in economics (Dr. rer. pol.).