{{Short description|German diplomat}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Wolfgang Ischinger | image = Ischinger Portrait 2020 (Zeitenwende Report) (cropped).jpg | caption = Ischinger in 2020 | office = Chair of the [[Munich Security Conference]] | term_start = 2008 | term_end = 2022 | predecessor = Horst Teltschik | successor = [[Christoph Heusgen]] | office2 = [[German Ambassador to the Court of St. James's]] | president2 = [[Horst Köhler]] | term_start2 = March 2006 | term_end2 = June 2008 | predecessor2 = Thomas Matussek | successor2 = Georg Boomgaarden | office3 = [[German Ambassador to the United States]] | president3 = [[Johannes Rau]]<br />[[Horst Köhler]] | term_start3 = June 2001 | term_end3 = March 2006 | predecessor3 = [[Jürgen Chrobog]] | successor3 = [[Klaus Scharioth]] | birth_name = Wolfgang Friedrich Ischinger | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|4|6}} | birth_place = [[Beuren, Esslingen]], Germany | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = Jutta Falke-Ischinger | children = 3 | alma_mater = [[University of Bonn]], [[University of Geneva]], [[The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]] | website = | signature = }} '''Wolfgang Friedrich Ischinger''' (born April 6, 1946) is a German [[diplomat]] who serves as chairman of the [[Munich Security Conference]].<ref>Holger Möhle (20 February 2022), [https://rp-online.de/politik/ausland/ex-un-botschafter-heusgen-nun-vorsitzender-der-sicherheitskonferenz_aid-66426413 Christoph Heusgen übernimmt Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz : Gestählt für lange Nächte] ''[[Rheinische Post]]''.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chairman and Team - Munich Security Conference |url=https://securityconference.org/en/about-us/chairman-team/ |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=securityconference.org |language=en}}</ref>

From 2001 to 2006, Ischinger was the [[Ambassadors from Germany to the United States|German ambassador to the United States]], and from 1998 to 2001, he was Staatssekretär (Deputy Foreign Minister) in Berlin. He was Germany's [[ambassador]] to the [[Court of St. James's]] (the [[United Kingdom]]) from 2006 to May, 2008. He was also Global Head of Government Relations of [[Allianz SE]] from March 2008 until December 2014. He serves on the supervisory board of Allianz Deutschland AG, on the European Advisory Board of [[Investcorp]] (London/New York) and on the governing board of the [[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Governing Board|url=http://www.sipri.org/about/organization/board|publisher=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute|access-date=23 September 2013}}</ref> He has been described as "Germany's best-connected former diplomat".<ref>{{cite news|author1=J.C.|title=An interview with Wolfgang Ischinger|url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/kaffeeklatsch/2017/05/new-germany|access-date=1 June 2017|newspaper=[[The Economist]]}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Ischinger was born in [[Beuren, Esslingen|Beuren]], [[Baden-Württemberg]], near [[Stuttgart]], [[Germany]]. In 1963–64, he was an [[American Field Service]] foreign exchange student in [[Watseka, Illinois]], where he graduated from the local high school in June 1964. After receiving his [[Abitur]] in Germany, Ischinger studied law at the [[University of Bonn]], [[Germany]] and the [[University of Geneva]], [[Switzerland]] and obtained his law degree in 1972. He earned a master's degree from the [[Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]] in [[Medford, Massachusetts]], in 1973.

==Diplomatic career== From 1973 to 1975, Ischinger served on the staff of the [[Secretary General of the United Nations]] in [[New York (state)|New York]]. He joined the German Foreign Service in 1975, and has served in [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Paris]], and in a number of senior functions in the German Foreign Office. In 1982, he became personal assistant to [[Hans-Dietrich Genscher]], West German foreign minister and leader of the [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]].<ref name=politico-20220216>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/diplomacy-wolfgang-ischinger-munich-security-conference/ |title=In diplomacy, Europe's most powerful ambassador means business |last=Karnitschnig |first=Matthew |website=POLITICO |date=16 February 2022 |access-date=19 February 2022}}</ref>

From 1993 to 1995, Ischinger was director of the Policy Planning Staff under [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany)|Foreign Minister]] [[Klaus Kinkel]]; from 1995 to 1998, as director general for political affairs (political director), Ischinger participated in a number of international negotiating processes, including the Bosnia Peace Talks at [[Dayton, Ohio]], the negotiations concerning the [[NATO-Russia Founding Act]], as well as the negotiations on EU and [[NATO]] enlargement and on the [[Kosovo]] crisis.

As Staatssekretär (deputy foreign minister) under [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany)|Foreign Minister]] [[Joschka Fischer]] between 1998 and 2001, Ischinger represented Germany at numerous international and European conferences, including the 1999 [[25th G8 summit|G8]] and EU summit meetings in [[Cologne]] and the 2000 Review Conference of the [[Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons]] (NPT) at the United Nations in New York.

In 2007, Ischinger was the European Union Representative in the [[Kosovo status process|Troika negotiations on the future of Kosovo]], which ended up leading to the [[declaration of independence of Kosovo]] and the [[recognition of Kosovo]] by most EU member countries, the United States, and a number of other countries, in February 2008. Reportedly, Ischinger entered the talks "with only one goal and idea: for Kosovo to become independent in the end, with the Serbian authority's willing consent".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2012&mm=06&dd=07&nav_id=80646|title=Former PM: I had no mandate to tear Serbia apart|website=B92.net|date=6 July 2012 |language=en|access-date=2020-03-14}}</ref>

==Later career== From 2019 until 2020, Ischinger co-chaired the Transatlantic Task Force of the [[German Marshall Fund]] and the [[Federal Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Foundation|Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung]] (BKHS), alongside [[Karen Donfried]].<ref>[http://www.gmfus.org/press-releases/german-marshall-fund-and-bundeskanzler-helmut-schmidt-stiftung-launch-transatlantic The German Marshall Fund and Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung Launch “Transatlantic Task Force” Setting Path Forward for U.S.-Europe Relations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214112227/http://www.gmfus.org/press-releases/german-marshall-fund-and-bundeskanzler-helmut-schmidt-stiftung-launch-transatlantic |date=14 December 2019 }} [[German Marshall Fund]], press release of 12 December 2019.</ref>

Ischinger has published widely on foreign policy, security, and arms control policy as well as on [[Europe]]an and [[wikt:transatlantic|transatlantic]] issues.

==Other activities== ===Corporate boards=== * [[Investcorp]], member of the international advisory board * [[Kekst CNC]], Member of the Global Advisory Board<ref>[https://www.kekstcnc.com/insights/anna-diamantopoulou-joins-kekst-cnc-s-global-advisory-board Anna Diamantopoulou Joins Kekst CNC’s Global Advisory Board] Kekst CNC, press release of 22 September 2021.</ref>

===Non-profit organizations=== * [[American Academy in Berlin]], member of the board of trustees<ref>[http://www.americanacademy.de/about/board-of-trustees/ Board of Trustees] [[American Academy in Berlin]]</ref> *American Institute for Contemporary Germany Studies, member of the board of trustees<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aicgs.org/about-aicgs/board/|title=Board of Trustees|website=AICGS|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-18}}</ref> * AFS Germany ([[American Field Service]]), member of the board * [[Atlantic Council of the United States]], member of the board * [[Atlantik-Brücke]], member of the board<ref>[https://www.atlantik-bruecke.org/en/atlantik-brucke/committees-of-atlantik-brucke-e-v/ Board of Directors] [[Atlantik-Brücke]].</ref> * Bonner Akademie für Forschung und Lehre praktischer Politik (BAPP), member of the board of trustees<ref>[https://www.bapp-bonn.de/die-akademie/kuratorium Board of Trustees] Bonner Akademie für Forschung und Lehre praktischer Politik (BAPP).</ref> * [[Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik]] (BAKS), member of the board * Club of Three, member of the steering group<ref>[https://www.clubofthree.org/about-us/steering-group/ Steering Group] Club of Three.</ref> * Council on Public Policy Berlin, member of the board * Dahrendorf Forum, Member of the Committee<ref>[https://www.dahrendorf-forum.eu/about/committee-and-former-board-members/ Nathalie Tocci] Dahrendorf Forum.</ref> * [[EastWest Institute]], member of the board * [[Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]], board of overseers * [[German Institute for International and Security Affairs]] (SWP), member of the council * German-Polish-Ukrainian Society (GPUS), member of the advisory board<ref>[http://gpu-society.org/advisory-board Advisory Board] German-Polish-Ukrainian Society (GPUS).</ref> * Global Bridges, member of the board <ref>[https://globalbridges.de/verein#vorstand] [[Global Bridges]].</ref> * Global Zero Commission, Member * [[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]] (SIPRI), member of the governing board<ref>[https://www.sipri.org/about/organization/board Governing Board] [[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]] (SIPRI).</ref> * Turkey: Culture of Change Initiative (TCCI), member of the advisory board<ref>[http://www.tcci-de.org/advisory-board/# Advisory Board] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128074628/http://www.tcci-de.org/advisory-board/ |date=28 January 2018 }} Turkey: Culture of Change Initiative (TCCI).</ref> * [[Walther Rathenau Institut]]e, member of the advisory board<ref>[http://www.rathenau-stiftung.de/organisation/ Advisory Board] [[Walther Rathenau Institut]]e.</ref> * [[World Economic Forum]] (WEF), member of the Global Future Council on the Future of International Security<ref>[https://www.weforum.org/communities/the-future-of-international-security Global Future Council: The Future of International Security] [[World Economic Forum]].</ref> * [[International Crisis Group]] (ICG), member of the board of trustees (-2018)<ref>[https://www.crisisgroup.org/who-we-are/board Board of Trustees] [[International Crisis Group]] (ICG).</ref>

Since 2011, Ischinger also acts as advisor to [[Fair Observer]] on global politics and security topics.<ref>[http://fairobserver.com/advisors Advisor List of Fair Observer]</ref>

==Recognition== * 2018 – [[Nunn-Lugar]] Award for Promoting Nuclear Security<ref>[https://www.carnegie.org/news/articles/nunn-lugar-award-honors-german-peacemaker/ Nunn-Lugar Award Honors German Peacemaker] [[Carnegie Endowment]], press release of February 17, 2018.</ref> * 2016 – [[Order of the Rising Sun|Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000152721.pdf |access-date=2023-09-30|title=2016 Spring Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals}}</ref> * 2010 – [[Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg]] * 2009 – [[Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] * 2008 – [[Leo Baeck Medal]] ([[Leo Baeck Institute]]) for humanitarian work promoting tolerance and social justice (awarded by [[James D. Wolfensohn]] and Ambassador [[Richard C. Holbrooke]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allianz.com/en/press/news/commitment/community/news-2008-12-18.html|title = Allianz &#124; "Recommitting ourselves to greater tolerance"}}</ref>

==Personal life== Ischinger is married to Jutta Falke, a journalist and writer, and the couple have one child. Ischinger also has two children from a previous marriage with Barbara Ischinger (born 1949). Before departing from Berlin to [[Washington, D.C.]], in 2001, Jutta Falke-Ischinger was the [[Berlin]] bureau chief of the German weekly "[[Rheinischer Merkur]]".

==References== {{reflist|3}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de German Foreign Office] *[http://www.securityconference.de Munich Security Conference] *{{C-SPAN|54965}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ischinger, Wolfgang}} [[Category:1946 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Ambassadors of Germany to the United States]] [[Category:Ambassadors of Germany to the United Kingdom]] [[Category:University of Bonn alumni]] [[Category:People from Esslingen (district)]] [[Category:Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 2nd Class]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class]] [[Category:The Fletcher School at Tufts University alumni]] [[Category:Allianz people]]