Association of Civil Servants and Employees of the Bundeswehr

The Verband der Beamten und Beschäftigten der Bundeswehr e.V. (VBB) is a German trade union and professional association that represents the professional, legal and social interests of civilian civil servants and employees of the Bundeswehr, Germany's federal armed forces. It is affiliated with the Deutscher Beamtenbund (dbb), the umbrella federation of German civil servants' associations. The VBB is politically and denominationally independent and is headquartered in Bonn. The association traces its origins to 1956, when the Bund der Beamten der Deutschen Bundeswehr im Deutschen Beamtenbund was founded. It later merged with the Verband der Beamten der Deutschen Wehrverwaltung to form the Verband der Beamten der Bundeswehr, which was constituted in 1960. For decades the VBB focused on the interests of Beamte (civil servants) within the Bundeswehr administration. In 2014, at its 15th Bundesvertretertag, the association decided to open its membership to employees (Arbeitnehmer) of the Bundeswehr. Talks about a possible merger with the Verband der Arbeitnehmer der Bundeswehr (VAB) ended without agreement in 2018, and in 2019 the 16th Bundesvertretertag adopted the current name, Verband der Beamten und Beschäftigten der Bundeswehr. The VBB describes its purpose as the berufsständische und gewerkschaftliche Vertretung — professional and trade-union representation — of its members' occupational, legal and social concerns. Its work concentrates on questions arising from the modernization and restructuring of the Bundeswehr administration, including the definition and updating of core tasks, task reviews, streamlining of responsibilities, simplification of administrative rules, performance incentives, budgeting and the use of information technology, as well as career prospects and recruitment. The association is organized along the lines of the Bundeswehr's administrative structure into nine areas or regional associations and roughly 200 local groups in Germany and abroad. Its highest body is the Bundesvertretertag, which meets every five years and sets the guidelines for association policy. The Bundesvorstand has 36 members, while the Bundesleitung, which conducts day-to-day business, consists of six voting and two co-opted members. The VBB is a standing interlocutor of the Federal Ministry of Defence, its agencies and offices, other federal ministries and relevant parliamentary committees. The VBB is the largest professional organization of civil servants serving in the Bundeswehr. It holds six of the eight civil-servant seats in the Hauptpersonalrat (main staff council) and around 85 percent of the civil-servant seats in the Bezirkspersonalräte. Its chairpersons have included Georg Kreuzer, Heinrich Frahm, Lothar Beer, Thorolf Schulte, Wolfram Kamm, Hans Liesenhoff and, since 2021, Imke von Bornstaedt-Küpper. In 2026 the association marked its 70th anniversary.

The Verband der Beamten und Beschäftigten der Bundeswehr e.V. (VBB) emerged from the organizational development of civil servants' representation in the young West German Bundeswehr. In 1956, the Bund der Beamten der Deutschen Bundeswehr im Deutschen Beamtenbund was founded. This organization merged with the Verband der Beamten der Deutschen Wehrverwaltung to form the Verband der Beamten der Bundeswehr, which was established in 1960. Its statutory purpose was the professional representation of its members and the promotion of their occupational, legal and social interests, and it advocated a modern, performance-oriented professional civil service based on the constitution. For decades the VBB concentrated on the Beamte — the civil servants — within the Bundeswehr administration. It became the largest professional organization of civil servants serving in the Bundeswehr, holding six of the eight civil-servant seats in the Hauptpersonalrat and around 85 percent of the civil-servant seats in the Bezirkspersonalräte. Its work increasingly focused on the modernization and restructuring of the Bundeswehr administration, covering task definition and review, streamlining of responsibilities, simplification of administrative rules, performance incentives, budgeting and information technology, as well as career prospects and recruitment. A significant turning point came at the 15th Bundesvertretertag in 2014, when the association decided to open itself to the employees (Arbeitnehmer) of the Bundeswehr. This led to negotiations with the Verband der Arbeitnehmer der Bundeswehr (VAB) about a possible merger, but those talks ended without agreement in 2018. At the 16th Bundesvertretertag in 2019, the association therefore adopted its current name, Verband der Beamten und Beschäftigten der Bundeswehr, reflecting its broadened membership base. The VBB is organized in line with the Bundeswehr's administrative structure into nine areas or regional associations and roughly 200 local groups in Germany and abroad. Its highest organ is the Bundesvertretertag, which meets every five years and determines the guidelines for association policy. The Bundesvorstand comprises 36 members, and the Bundesleitung, responsible for day-to-day business, consists of six voting and two co-opted members. The association's organs are standing interlocutors of the Federal Ministry of Defence, its agencies and offices, other federal ministries and the relevant parliamentary committees. Leadership has changed over the decades. Chairpersons have included Georg Kreuzer (1960–1964 and 1967–1973), Heinrich Frahm (1964–1967), Lothar Beer (1973–1993), Thorolf Schulte (1993–2006), Wolfram Kamm (2006–2019), Hans Liesenhoff (2019–2021) and, since 2021, Imke von Bornstaedt-Küpper. In 2026 the association celebrated its 70th anniversary, with its federal chairwoman looking back on seven decades and ahead to future tasks and challenges.

• 2026

  VBB celebrates its 70th anniversary.

• 2021

  Imke von Bornstaedt-Küpper becomes federal chairwoman.

• 2019

  16th Bundesvertretertag adopts the current name, Verband der Beamten und Beschäftigten der Bundeswehr.

• 2018

  Merger negotiations with the Verband der Arbeitnehmer der Bundeswehr (VAB) end without agreement.

• 2014

  15th Bundesvertretertag decides to open the VBB to employees of the Bundeswehr.

• 1960

  Merger with the Verband der Beamten der Deutschen Wehrverwaltung forms the Verband der Beamten der Bundeswehr (VBB).

• 1956

  Bund der Beamten der Deutschen Bundeswehr im Deutschen Beamtenbund founded.

The largest professional organization of civil servants serving in the Bundeswehr, operating as a politically and denominationally independent trade union within the dbb.

• Trade union and professional representation

  Representation of members' occupational, legal and social interests.

• Staff council representation

  Representation in the Hauptpersonalrat and Bezirkspersonalräte.

• Advice on civil service law and social policy

  Advice and advocacy on legal and social matters affecting members.

1. 1VBB Bund: VBB - Verband der Beamten und Beschäftigten der Bundeswehr e.V.vbb-bund.de
2. 2Verband der Beamten und Beschäftigten der Bundeswehr – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Verband der Beamten der Bundeswehr – Wikidatawikidata.org