Born on 16 November 1953 in Kassel; Single, no children
 
Since 2002
Federal Minister of Justice
 
1998 - 2002
Active in the Federal Ministry of the Interior. From September 1999 Chair of the State Secretary Committee for the management of the Federal Government programme "Modern State - Modern Administration"1997 - 2002
State Secretary
 
1997 -1998
Active in the Ministry for Women, Labour and Social Affairs of Lower Saxony
 
1995 - 1997
Head of Department of the State Chancellery of Lower Saxony
 
1991
Head of Division of the State Chancellery of Lower Saxony
 
1988 - 1990
Member of academic staff at the Federal Constitutional Court
 
1985 - 1988
Assistant Head of Division at State Chancellery of Hessen
 
1980 - 1985
Member of academic staff at Gießen University
 
1978 - 1980
After the first state law examination in 1978 in-service training in the regional court district of Gießen. 1980 second state law examination
 
1972 - 1977
Studied law in Gießen