Born on 10 January 47 in Hamburg; married, three children
 
Since November 2005
Federal Minister of Finance
 
2002 - 2005
Minister-President of the federal state (Land) of North Rhine-Westphalia
 
2002
Member of the State Assembly of North Rhine-Westphalia
 
2000 - 2002
Minister of Finance of the federal state (Land) of North Rhine-Westphalia
 
1998 - 2000
Minister of Economics and SMEs, Technology and Transport of the federal state (Land) of North Rhine-Westphalia
 
1993 - 1998
Minister of Economics, Technology and Transport of the federal state (Land) of Schleswig-Holstein
 
1992 - 1993
State Secretary in the Ministry of Economics, Technology and Transport of the federal state (Land) of Schleswig-Holstein
 
1990 - 1992
State Secretary in the Ministry for Nature, the Environment and Regional Development of the federal state (Land) of Schleswig-Holstein
 
1986 - 1990
Head of the office of the Minister-President of the federal state (Land) of North Rhine-Westphalia, Johannes Rau
 
1974 - 1986
Active as Assistant Head of Division in federal ministries and in the Federal Chancellery
 
1970 - 1974
Studied Economics and Social Science at Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel
 
Since 1969
Member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD)
 
1968
Abitur (German equivalent to A-Levels), military service