Wolfgang Altenburg
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Altenburg is a retired German
general. He served as Chief of Staff of the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr
, from 1996 to 1999, and as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
from 1986 to 1989.
(today Piła, Poland
) and was conscripted as a Marinehelfer (Navy aide) in 1944 serving at Heligoland
. After the end of World War II
he completed a professional training in hotel business and volunteered the Bundeswehr in 1956 at the Artillerytroops.
Altenburg passed his general staff training at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr
in 1962 - 1964 and became the Deputy Director of Nuclear Planning at SHAPE
in 1971. He returned to the German Department of Defense in 1973 as an Oberst
and commanded the Panzergrenadierbrigade 7 (Hamburg). In April 1978 Altenburg became the Director of the Executive Staff of the Federal Forces and in 1979 the German Representative at the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
in Brussels
. In 1981 Altenburg took over the command of the III. Korps at Koblenz
and became the Chief of staff of the Federal Forces (Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr) in 1983, a position he held until 1986. On 1 October 1986 Altenburg became the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee himself.
Altenburg retired in 1989 and lives in Bremen
. He is married and has three children.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
general. He served as Chief of Staff of the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, from 1996 to 1999, and as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee's authority stems from the NATO Military Committee, to which he is responsible in the performance of his duties. He chairs all meetings of the Military Committee and acts in an international capacity. In his absence, the Deputy Chairman of the Military...
from 1986 to 1989.
Biography
Altenburg was born in Schneidemühl, Posen-West PrussiaPosen-West Prussia
The border province of historical period Posen-West Prussia was a province of the Free State of Prussia. The capital was Schneidemühl . The province had an area of 7,695 km², and was located within present-day Poland....
(today Piła, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) and was conscripted as a Marinehelfer (Navy aide) in 1944 serving at Heligoland
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
. After the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he completed a professional training in hotel business and volunteered the Bundeswehr in 1956 at the Artillerytroops.
Altenburg passed his general staff training at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr
Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr
The Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr is the highest military academy of the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr. Established in 1957, and since 1958 located in Hamburg, it is the successor of the Prussian Military Academy that was established in 1810...
in 1962 - 1964 and became the Deputy Director of Nuclear Planning at SHAPE
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
in 1971. He returned to the German Department of Defense in 1973 as an Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
and commanded the Panzergrenadierbrigade 7 (Hamburg). In April 1978 Altenburg became the Director of the Executive Staff of the Federal Forces and in 1979 the German Representative at the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee's authority stems from the NATO Military Committee, to which he is responsible in the performance of his duties. He chairs all meetings of the Military Committee and acts in an international capacity. In his absence, the Deputy Chairman of the Military...
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. In 1981 Altenburg took over the command of the III. Korps at Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
and became the Chief of staff of the Federal Forces (Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr) in 1983, a position he held until 1986. On 1 October 1986 Altenburg became the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee himself.
Altenburg retired in 1989 and lives in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
. He is married and has three children.