{{Short description|German Army general (born 1971)}} {{Infobox military person | name = Christian Freuding | image = Generalleutnant-Christian-Freuding Bild Bundeswehr.jpg | caption = GL Christian Freuding | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|08|20}} | birth_place = Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Bavaria, West Germany | birth_name = Christian Freuding | allegiance = Germany | branch = German Army | branch_label = Branch | service_years = 1990–present | rank = Lieutenant general | service_number = | commands = 9th Panzerlehr Brig <br/>PlaFüStab in the Federal Ministry of Defence | battles = War in Afghanistan | awards = Armed Forces Deployment Medal (SFOR & ISAF) <br> NATO Medal (SFOR) <br> NATO Medal (ISAF) | alma_mater = Helmut Schmidt University (BS) | spouse = | children = 2 | relations = | website = }} thumb|FAC Defence 20 May 2025 Christian Freuding
'''Christian Freuding''' (born 20 August 1971) is a German Army Generalleutnant and the Inspector of the Army since October 2025.<ref>[https://www.bundeswehr.de/en/823326-823326 "Chief of the German Army"]. www.bundeswehr.de</ref> Prior to that, Freuding served as a commanding officer of the planning and leadership staff of the Federal Ministry of Defence and commander of the 9th Panzerlehr Brig.
==Military career== With the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 Christian Freuding lead the "Lagezentrum Ukraine" (Special Staff for Ukraine) within the Federal Ministry of Defence, responsible for collecting information and coordinating the support of Ukraine. In that context he got some public attention by regularly appearing between 2022 and 2025 in episodes of the Bundeswehr media format "Nachgefragt" (Ask here), explaining various aspects of the conflict to the public.<ref name=wehr1>{{cite web |title=Das Jahr 2022: Bilder aus der Bundeswehr |url=https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/meldungen/bilder-jahr-2022-5558928|website=www.bundeswehr.de|language=de}}</ref><ref name=bde1>{{cite web |title=Vom Youtube-General zum wichtigsten Mann von Pistorius: Wer ist Christian Freuding?|url=https://www.businessinsider.de/politik/deutschland/youtube-general-wird-pistorius-helfer-wer-ist-christian-freuding/|website=www.businessinsider.de|language=de}}</ref>
In April 2023 Freuding was appointed by Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius to command the newly installed "Planungs- und Führungsstab" (planning- and leadership staff) within the Federal Ministry of Defence.<ref name=bmvg1>{{cite web |title=Schneller zur Zeitenwende: Pistorius schafft neuen Planungs- und Führungsstab |url=https://www.bmvg.de/de/aktuelles/neuer-planungs-und-fuehrungsstab-im-verteidigungsministerium-5614200|website=www.bmvg.de |language=de |date=20 April 2023}}</ref>
In early July 2025 the Federal Ministry of Defence announced that Generalleutnant Alfons Mais, Inspector of the Army, will leave office in October 2025 and that Christian Freuding is his designated replacement.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pistorius befördert diese Frau auf Topjob der Bundeswehr – und entlässt zwei Generäle |url=https://www.welt.de/politik/article256333798/bundeswehr-pistorius-befoerdert-diese-frau-auf-topjob-der-bundeswehr-und-entlaesst-zwei-generaele.html|website=www.welt.de |language=de}}</ref>
Freuding took command as Inspector of the Army on 1 October 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Generalleutnant Freuding ist der neue Inspekteur des Heeres|url=https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/organisation/heer/aktuelles/generalleutnant-freuding-inspekteurwechsel-heer-6001446|website=bundeswehr.de |language=de}}</ref>
==Dates of promotion== {| class="wikitable" ! Insignia !! Rank !! Date |- style="text-align:center;" ||28px||Brigadier General||June 2020 |- style="text-align:center;" ||28px||Major General|| |- style="text-align:center;" ||28px||Lieutenant General||October 2025 |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freuding, Christian}} Category:Living people Category:1971 births Category:Bundeswehr generals Category:Lieutenant generals of the German Army Category:German military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Category:People from Weiden in der Oberpfalz Category:Helmut Schmidt University alumni Category:Military personnel from Bavaria