| Year and place of birth: 1941 in Hamburg |
| Marital status: married, three children |
Foreign languages: English.
|
| Education: |
| 1961-1968 |
Law and economic studies in Hamburg |
| 1969 |
Doctorate in law (Dr. jur.) |
Professional career: |
| 1972-1974 |
Junior notary in Hamburg |
| Since 1974 |
Notar in Hamburg. |
| 1974-1997 |
Member of the Hamburg City-State Parliament |
| 1988-1997 |
First Mayor (Erster Bürgermeister) of the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg |
| 1990-1991 |
President of the "Bundesrat" (Upper House of Parliament) |
| 1992-1994 |
President of the Joint Constitutional Commission of the German "Bundestag" (Lower House of Parliament) and of the "Bundesrat" |
| 1996-1997 |
President of the Conciliation Committee of the German Bundestag and Bundesrat |
| Since 2000 |
Initially president of the Foundation Commission, then of the Board of Trustees and member of the supervisory board of the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg. Member of the Board of Trustees of the Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius ZEIT Foundation
|
| Since 2011 |
Notary a.D.
|
