Born in 1955 in Gera; married, four children
 
Since November 2005
Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs and Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States
 
April 2005
Re-elected Lord Mayor of the City of Leipzig
 
2002 - 2004
President of network of cities EUROCITIES
 
2001 -2005
Vice President of the Saxon Association of Cities and Towns

1998
Elected Lord Mayor of the City of Leipzig, member of the Executive Committee of the German Association of Cities
 
Since 1995
Member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
 
1994
Mayor and 1st Deputy of the Lord Mayor (Oberbürgermeister) of the City of Leipzig, Deputy Mayor for Youth, Schools and Sport
 
1992
City Councillor (City Council Official) for Schools and Education for the City of Leipzig
 
1990
Head of the School Administration Office (Schulverwaltungsamt)
 
1989 - 1990
Political work with Leipzig Round Table, appointed City Councillor without Portfolio, City Councillor for a short time
 
1988
Studied part-time for a degree in electrical engineering
 
1986
Development engineer at Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (Technische Hochschule Leipzig)
 
1982
Studied part-time for a postgraduate degree in electrical energy plant engineering
 
1979 - 1986
Development engineer for research and development at telecommunications company VEB Fernmeldewerk Leipzig
 
1979
Qualified as industrial electronics engineer
 
1975
Military service
 
1974
Skilled worker in telecommunications
 
1973
Abitur (German equivalent to A-Levels)