Vita
- Born on 29th September 1947 in Burscheid (Rhine/Wupper Country)
- Grew up in Wuppertal and Siegen, where he obtained the Abitur (school-leaving certificate giving right of entry to university) in 1966
- 15 months basic military service from 1967 to 1968 (discharged as reserve cadet)
- From 1968 to 1972 studied law at Cologne University, where, inter alia, he assisted Prof. Martin Kriele with a seminar on legal questions concerning "Ostpolitik"
- Passed first state examination in law in Cologne in 1973
- Practical legal training in Dortmund and Siegen
- Passed second state examination in law in Düsseldorf in 1976
- From 1976 to 1985 Public Prosecutor in Münster, Hagen and Dortmund; worked, inter alia, in the state security department of the Dortmund Public Prosecution Office specializing in proceedings against right-wing extremists
- From 1985 to 1990 Senior Public Prosecutor at the General Prosecutors office in Hamm, where he worked, inter alia, as press spokesman
- colonel (Res), service as Brigade Commander from 1994 to 2007
Additional occupations
- From 1978 to 1984 lecturer in criminal law at the College of Public Administration of North Rhine-Westphalia (training of police officers)
- From 1985 to 1989 in charge of groups of trainee lawyers undergoing practical legal training in preparation for the second state examination
Activities in the FDP
- Member of Hamm country executive committee
- Chairman of the Southern Westphalian regional executive committee
- Member of the North Rhine-WEstphalian executive committee
Activities in the parliamentary group
- Member of the German Federal Parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) since 1990
- Chief Whip since 1994
- Spokesman of the FDP on the Council of Elders
- Spokesman of the FDP on the Mediation Committee
- Spokesman of the FDP on the Committee for the Scrutiny of Elections, Immunity and the Rules of Procedure
- Member of the Committee on Legal Affairs
- Substitute Member of the Defence Committee
