Born on 4 July 1949 in Ingolstadt; married, three children
 
Since November 2005
Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
 
1998 - 2004
Vice-Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group
 
Since 1994
Vice-Chairman of the CSU in the State Assembly
 
1992 -1998
Federal Minister for Health
 
1989 -1992
Parliamentary State Secretary in the office of the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
 
1983 - 1989
Spokesman on social policy for the CSU group in the State Assembly
 
Since 1980
Member of the German Bundestag
 
1979
Degree in Public Administration (Verwaltungswirt) from the Munich Academy of Public Administration and Economics (Verwaltungs- und Wirtschaftsakademie München)
 
Since 1971
Member of the CSU
 
1970
Administrative examination for the higher Civil Service; active in the offices of the Chief Executive Officer of the district of Ingolstadt and Eichstätt until 1980
 
1969
Joined the Junge Union, the CDU/CSU youth organisation