Wolfgang Schneiderhan

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Wolfgang Schneiderhan
200px
General Wolfgang Schneiderhan
Allegiance22px Germany
Years of service1966 – present
RankGeneral
AwardsBundesverdienstkreuz, First Class
Bundeswehr Cross of Honour in Gold
Legion of Honour (France)
Legion of Merit (U.S.)
Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Eagle's Cross, First Class (Estonia)
Medal of Merit, First Class, of the Ministry of Defence (Czech Republic)
Grand Gross of Military Merit (Jordan)

Wolfgang Schneiderhan (born July 26 1946) is a German General who served as Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr from July 27 2002 until his resignation on 26 November 2009.

Military career

Schneiderhan entered military service on April 4 1966 as officer cadet (Panzer Division, Heer). On October 1 1968, he was promoted to Lieutenant. While serving in the Bundeswehr, Schneiderhan was awarded several medals, both in Germany and abroad. In 2002, he was promoted to General and was appointed Inspector General of the Bundeswehr. Before his appointment, he served as director of planning in the Ministry of Defence.

Resignation

On 26 November 2009, he tendered his resignation as Inspector General after allegations were made against him of a cover-up relating to the 4 September 2009 Kunduz airstrike in Afghanistan.[1][2] The strike was against two fuel tankers that had been hijacked by the Taliban but also resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians.[2] Schneiderhan was alleged to have failed to provide full information about the incident for several days after the incident maintaining that no civilians had been caught in the strike.[2] The then Defence Minister, Franz Josef Jung, also played down the possibility of civilian casualties.[3] A video taken by the American F-15 Eagle fighter bomber involved in the airstrike was leaked to the newspaper Bild and is said to have clearly depicted civilians in the target area.[3]

Schneiderhan's resignation came on the same day as that of Peter Wichert, a senior Defence Ministry official.[2] The combined resignations were described as Germany's "biggest military shake-up in more than two decades" and have been claimed as proof that the defence ministry actively suppressed information about the incident.[3][4]

Franz Josef Jung tendered his resignation as Minister of Labour and Social Affairs on 27 November 2009 because of this affair.[5]

Family

Schneiderhan is married to Elke (née Speckhardt). He has two daughters and three sons.[6] The general is the nephew of violinist Wolfgang Schneiderhan.

Honours and awards

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, First Class
Bundeswehr Cross of Honour in Gold
Legion of Honour (France)
Legion of Merit (United States)
Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Eagle's Cross, First Class (Estonia)
Medal of Merit, First Class, of the Ministry of Defence (Czech Republic)
Grand Gross of Military Merit (Jordan)

See also

References

  1. Spiegel.de, 26 November 2009
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Germany's top soldier quits over Afghanistan raid" BBC News. 26 November 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Boyes, Roger (26 November 2009). "Germany's top soldier Wolfgang Schneiderhan quits over airstrike blunder" The Times. Retrieved 26 November 2009,
  4. Connolly, Kate (26 November 2009). "German army chief resigns over Afghanistan air strike" The Guardian. Accessed 26 November 2009.
  5. Spiegel.de
  6. NATO biography

External links