Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space

"BMBF" redirects here. For another use, see British Mountain Bike Federation.

The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (German: Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt; 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.

Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space
(BMFTR)

Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt
Official logo since 6 May 2025.
Headquarters of the BMFTR in Bonn.
Agency overview
Formed	20 October 1955 as Bundesministerium für Atomfragen
Jurisdiction	Government of Germany
Headquarters	Heinemannstraße 2 53175 Bonn 50°42′12″N 7°08′21″E
Employees	1394 (2025)
Annual budget	€22.377 billion (2025)[1]
Minister responsible	Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space[2]
Agency executives	Silke Launert, Parliamentary State Secretary Matthias Hauer, Permanent State Secretary
Website	www.bmftr.bund.de/EN/Home/home_node.html

The ministry has been headed by Dorothee Bär since 6 May 2025.^[3]

History

The Federal Ministry for Atomic Issues was established in 1955, concentrating on research in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.^[4] 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.^[5]

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).^[6]

Organization

Directorate-General

Due to the change in responsibilities in 2025, the ministry is still undergoing restructuring. A new organizational plan is still in the works. Until then, according to the website, the old one continues to apply. It consists of nine directorates-general:^[7]

• Directorate-General L: Leading Services
• Directorate-General Z: Central Services
• Directorate-General 1: Policy Issues and Strategies; Coordination
• Directorate-General 2: European and International Cooperation in Education and Research
• Directorate-General 3: General Education and Vocational Training; Lifelong Learning
• Directorate-General 4: Higher Education and Research System
• Directorate-General 5: Research for Technological Sovereignty and Innovation
• Directorate-General 6: Life Sciences
• Directorate-General 7: Provision for the Future - Basic Research and Research for Sustainable Development

Federal Ministers

Political Party:   CDU   SPD   FDP

Name (Born-Died)		Portrait	Party	Term of Office		Chancellor (Cabinet)
Federal Minister for Atomic Affairs (1955–1957) Federal Minister for Nuclear Energy and Water Management (1957–1961) Federal Minister for Nuclear Energy (1961–1962) Federal Minister for Scientific Research (1962–1969) Federal Minister for Education and Science (1969–1994)
1	Franz Josef Strauß (1915–1988)		CSU	20 October 1955	16 October 1956	Adenauer (II)
2	Siegfried Balke (1902–1984)		CDU	16 October 1956	14 December 1962	Adenauer (II • III • IV)
3	Hans Lenz (1907–1968)		FDP	14 December 1962	26 October 1965	Adenauer (IV) Erhard (I)
4	Gerhard Stoltenberg (1928–2001)		CDU	26 October 1965	22 October 1969	Erhard (II) Kiesinger (I)
5	Hans Leussink (1912–2008)		None	22 October 1969	15 March 1972	Brandt (I)
6	Klaus von Dohnanyi (born 1928)		SPD	15 March 1972	17 May 1974	Brandt (I • II)
7	Helmut Rohde (1925–2016)		SPD	17 May 1974	16 February 1978	Schmidt (I • II)
8	Jürgen Schmude (1936–2025)		SPD	16 February 1978	28 January 1981	Schmidt (II • III)
9	Björn Engholm (born 1939)		SPD	28 January 1981	4 October 1982	Schmidt (III)
10	Dorothee Wilms (born 1929)		CDU	4 October 1982	12 March 1987	Kohl (I • II)
11	Jürgen Möllemann (1945–2003)		FDP	12 March 1987	18 January 1991	Kohl (III)
12	Rainer Ortleb (born 1944)		FDP	18 January 1991	4 February 1994	Kohl (IV)
13	Karl-Hans Laermann (1929–2024)		FDP	4 February 1994	17 November 1994	Kohl (IV)
Federal Minister for Education, Science, Research and Technology
1	Horst Ehmke (1927–2017)		SPD	15 December 1972	17 May 1974	Brandt (II)
2	Hans Matthöfer (1925–2009)		SPD	17 May 1974	16 February 1978	Schmidt (I • II)
3	Volker Hauff (born 1940)		SPD	16 February 1978	5 November 1980	Schmidt (II)
4	Andreas von Bülow (born 1937)		SPD	5 November 1980	4 October 1982	Schmidt (III)
5	Heinz Riesenhuber (born 1935)		CDU	4 October 1982	21 January 1993	Kohl (I • II • III • IV)
6	Matthias Wissmann (born 1949)		CDU	21 January 1993	13 May 1993	Kohl (IV)
7	Paul Krüger (born 1950)		CDU	13 May 1993	17 November 1994	Kohl (IV)
Federal Minister for Education, Science, Research and Technology (1994–1998) Federal Minister for Education and Research (1998–2025)
14/8	Jürgen Rüttgers (born 1951)		CDU	17 November 1994	26 October 1998	Kohl (V)
15/9	Edelgard Bulmahn (born 1951)		SPD	26 October 1998	22 November 2005	Schröder (I • II)
16/10	Annette Schavan (born 1955)		CDU	22 November 2005	14 February 2013	Merkel (I • II)
17/11	Johanna Wanka (born 1951)		CDU	14 February 2013	14 March 2018	Merkel (II • III)
18/12	Anja Karliczek (born 1971)		CDU	14 March 2018	8 December 2021	Merkel (IV)
19/13	Bettina Stark-Watzinger (born 1968)		FDP	8 December 2021	7 November 2024	Scholz (I)
20/14	Cem Özdemir (born 1965)		Alliance 90/The Greens	7 November 2024	6 May 2025	Scholz (I)
Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space (2025-present)
21/15	Dorothee Bär (born 1978)		CSU	6 May 2025	Incumbent	Merz (I)

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: Eckart Kuhlwein [de] (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