# Gerhard Schindler

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Gerhard Schindler

**Gerhard Schindler** (born 4 October 1952[1] in [Kollig](/source/Kollig), West Germany) is a German civil servant and former President of the *[Bundesnachrichtendienst](/source/Bundesnachrichtendienst)* (BND), the German Federal Intelligence Service.

## Life

Schindler's parents are from [Transylvania](/source/Transylvania) and [Bessarabia](/source/Bessarabia). He completed his *[Abitur](/source/Abitur)* in 1972[1] and spent his [military service](/source/Conscription_in_Germany) in a [Paratrooper](/source/Paratrooper) division of the *[Bundeswehr](/source/Bundeswehr)*, the German armed forces. He is an *[Oberleutnant](/source/Oberleutnant)* of the reserves.[1] He began studying [legal science](/source/Legal_science) in 1974 at [Saarland University](/source/Saarland_University) in [Saarbrücken](/source/Saarbr%C3%BCcken). He passed the first and second German legal exams in 1980 and 1982 respectively.[1]

Schindler served as a Law Enforcement Officer for the *[Bundesgrenzschutz](/source/Bundesgrenzschutz)* (Federal Border Guard). In 1985, he became an instructor in the Civil Defense department of the [Federal Ministry of the Interior](/source/Federal_Ministry_of_the_Interior_(Germany)). He served at the [Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution](/source/Federal_Office_for_the_Protection_of_the_Constitution) in [Cologne](/source/Cologne) from 1987 to 1989 as a division head. In 1989, he returned to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. He served as director of the budget department, permanent representative of the leader of the headquarters and leader of the "Modern State - Modern Administration" administrative department. In 2003, he became the leader of the [Counter-terrorism](/source/Counter-terrorism) department. Since 2008, he has been [Undersecretary](/source/Undersecretary) for [Public security](/source/Public_security). Within this role, he has provided supervisory oversight for the [Federal Criminal Police Office](/source/Federal_Criminal_Police_Office_(Germany)) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.[2] He is seen as an authority on crime, terrorism, IT security, and computer crime. In 2012, he replaced [Ernst Uhrlau](/source/Ernst_Uhrlau) as president of the *[Bundesnachrichtendienst](/source/Bundesnachrichtendienst)*.[3]

Since November 2016 Schindler is consulting businesses in security issues at the consulting company friedrich30.[4][5]

Schindler has been a member of the [Free Democratic Party](/source/Free_Democratic_Party_(Germany)) since university. From 1989 to 1994, he was a member of the local council in [Nörvenich](/source/N%C3%B6rvenich).

He is married and has one child.

## Controversy

Schindler made headlines in May 2012 when he used his personal agency airplane (a [Dassault Falcon 900](/source/Dassault_Falcon_900)) to transport a rug weighing 30 kilograms (66 lb) from Afghanistan back to Germany for free as a "personal favor" for [Dirk Niebel](/source/Dirk_Niebel), the [Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development](/source/Federal_Ministry_of_Economic_Cooperation_and_Development). Niebel did not make a [customs declaration](/source/Customs_declaration) or payment of duty until after the issue was investigated by *[Der Spiegel](/source/Der_Spiegel)*, a German weekly news magazine.[6][7][8][9] Schindler and Niebel's public statements contradicted each other.[10]

In July 2013, Schindler was pressed for answers in the wake of the [Global surveillance disclosures](/source/Global_surveillance_disclosures_(2013%E2%80%93present)) when it was reported that the German Army was using [PRISM](/source/PRISM_(surveillance_program)) to support its operations in Afghanistan as early as 2011.[11] The BND stated that a separate NATO platform was in use, which was contested by the [Federal Ministry of Defence](/source/Federal_Ministry_of_Defence_(Germany)).[12]

Beginning on 10 August 2013, German media reported that under Schindler's direction, the BND was passing mobile phone data to the United States that was used in the U.S.'s [targeted killing](/source/Targeted_killing) program.[13]

In April 2015, Schindler was criticized by politicians of all parties in the [German Parliament](/source/Bundestag) for the BND's cooperation with the [NSA](/source/National_Security_Agency) for spying on European firms and politicians, including German interests.[14] [The Left](/source/The_Left_(Germany)) and the [Green Party](/source/Alliance_'90%2FThe_Greens) called for Schindler to be fired; the [Social Democratic Party](/source/Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany), the junior coalition partner, called for an investigation.[15]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-about_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-about_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-about_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-about_1-3) ["Präsident"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151118053831/http://www.bnd.bund.de/DE/Organisation/Leitung%20des%20Hauses/Praesidente/praesident_node.html). *bnd.de*. Archived from [the original](http://www.bnd.bund.de/DE/Organisation/Leitung%20des%20Hauses/Praesidente/praesident_node.html) on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Rolle der Deutschen in der NSA-Affäre: Schäubles Musterschüler beschnüffeln die Bürger](http://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/rolle-der-deutschen-in-der-nsa-affaere-schaeubles-musterschueler-beschnueffeln-die-buerger-2042159.html), in *[Stern](/source/Stern_(magazine))*, 24 July 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WAZ_3-0)** [Geheimdienst: Gerhard Schindler (59) wird neuer BND-Chef](https://www.derwesten.de/politik/gerhard-schindler-59-wird-neuer-bnd-chef-id6142357.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180913040017/https://www.derwesten.de/politik/gerhard-schindler-59-wird-neuer-bnd-chef-id6142357.html) 13 September 2018 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) in *DerWesten*, published by [Funke Mediengruppe](/source/Funke_Mediengruppe), 7 December 2011

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FAZ_4-0)** Neuscheler, Tillmann. ["F.A.Z.-exklusiv: Ex-BND-Chef Schindler wird Unternehmensberater"](https://www.faz.net/1.4520492). *Faz.net* (in German).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WirtschaftsWoche_5-0)** Dämon, Kerstin. ["Gerhard Schindler: Vom BND-Chef zum Unternehmensberater"](https://www.wiwo.de/erfolg/management/gerhard-schindler-vom-bnd-chef-zum-unternehmensberater/14794406.html). *wiwo.de*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Minister hits turbulence over flying carpet affair"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120904141742/http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20120608-43029.html). The Local. 8 June 2012. Archived from [the original](http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20120608-43029.html) on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["German minister under fire for Afghanistan carpet flight"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/9319073/German-minister-under-fire-for-Afghanistan-carpet-flight.html). *The Telegraph*. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["German minister chided for flying carpet from Kabul"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120613171132/http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=53372). GEO TV. Archived from [the original](http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=53372) on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Spiegel20120606_9-0)** Gebauer, Matthias; Gude, Hubert (7 June 2012). ["Afghanistan-Souvenir im BND-Jet: Minister Niebels fliegender Teppich"](http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/souvenir-aus-kabul-niebel-liess-teppich-unverzollt-nach-berlin-fliegen-a-837578.html) [Afghanistan Souvenir in a BND Jet: Minister Niebel's Flying Carpet] (in German). [Der Spiegel](/source/Der_Spiegel). Retrieved 8 May 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Teppich im Geheimdienst-Jet: BND-Chef widerspricht Minister Niebel](http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/niebel-und-sein-teppich-dossier-des-bnd-belastet-fdp-minister-a-838862.html) in *[Spiegel Online](/source/Spiegel_Online)*, 14 June 2012

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["The German Army was using PRISM to support its operations in Afghanistan as early as 2011"](http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bild-bericht-bundeswehr-soll-von-prism-gewusst-haben-a-911531.html). *Der Spiegel* (in German). 17 July 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [BND-Chef Schindler: Der NSA-Lehrling](http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-chef-schindler-geraet-in-der-spaehdebatte-in-die-kritik-a-912430.html) in *[Spiegel Online](/source/Spiegel_Online)*, 22 July 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [Kooperation mit US-Geheimdiensten: Unmut über BND-Chef Schindler](http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/kooperation-mit-us-geheimdiensten-unmut-ueber-bnd-chef-schindler-1.1743505), *[Süddeutsche Zeitung](/source/S%C3%BCddeutsche_Zeitung)*, 10 August 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Eckart Lohse: [Kanzleramt übt heftige Kritik an BND](https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/kanzleramt-uebt-heftige-kritik-an-bnd-13555622.html) *[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung](/source/Frankfurter_Allgemeine_Zeitung)*, 24 April 2015

1. **[^](#cite_ref-dw_15-0)** ["German spy chief faces calls to resign following NSA revelations"](http://www.dw.de/german-spy-chief-faces-calls-to-resign-following-nsa-revelations/a-18407222). [Deutsche Welle](/source/Deutsche_Welle). Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.

v t e Presidents of the Bundesnachrichtendienst Reinhard Gehlen Gerhard Wessel Klaus Kinkel Eberhard Blum Heribert Hellenbroich Hans-Georg Wieck Konrad Porzner Gerhard Güllich (interim) Hansjörg Geiger August Hanning Ernst Uhrlau Gerhard Schindler Bruno Kahl Martin Jäger

Authority control databases International VIAF GND People Deutsche Biographie DDB Other IdRef Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gerhard Schindler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Schindler) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Schindler?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.