German politician with long-standing experience in parliamentary, governmental, and cross-border cooperation. Since 2022, he has served as the Federal Government Coordinator for German-Polish Relations.
A Member of the German Bundestag from 1998 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2025, he has played a central role in shaping German and European political dialogue. Within the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), he has been Treasurer and a Member of the Executive Committee since 2014, contributing to the party’s strategic and financial leadership. From 2010 to 2022, he was Chairman of the Federal Association of German-Polish Societies, fostering civic and cultural ties between the two countries.
He is also active in a number of foundations and cultural initiatives, serving on the Board of Trustees of the Federal Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future, as Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for the International Youth Meeting Centre in Oświęcim, and as Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Liberation Route Europe Foundation.