Erika Franke
Erika Franke | |
|---|---|
_meldet_dem_Inspekteur_des_Sanit%C3%A4tsdienstes_Generaloberstabsarzt_Dr._Michael_Tempel_(r.).jpg) | |
| Born | May 8, 1954 |
| Education | Humboldt University of Berlin (MD) |
| Occupation | Physician |
| Employer | Bundeswehr |
| Awards | Bavarian Order of Merit |
Erika Franke (b. May 8, 1954) is a German military doctor and general staff doctor who served in the Bundeswehr, the German military forces, for twenty-six years, until her retirement in 2016.[1] Franke was the first woman in the Bundeswehr to reach the rank of two-star general,[2] the second to become a general, and the first woman from former East Germany to attain that rank.[3] She headed the Bundeswehr Medical Academy for three years.
Franke was born in East Berlin and grew up in the German Democratic Republic. Franke realized she wanted to be a doctor early in life, and would clean volunteer clinics during her school breaks.[4] After receiving her Abitur, Franke studied at Humboldt University in Berlin, becoming a doctor in 1978.[5] She would go on to receive a doctorate in microbiology and epidemiology in 1985.[3][5]
Beginning in 1978, when she became a doctor, Franke worked in the People's Police Hospital in East Berlin, where she was eventually promoted to head doctor.[5] After the reunification of Germany in 1990, the hospital was taken over by the Bundeswehr,[3], which Franke joined as a medical officer.[1] Following this, Franke led Laboratory Department I in the Central Institute of the Medical Service of the Bundeswehr until 2001.[6] She deployed twice overseas, to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997 and Kosovo from 2000-2001.[5] In 2006, Franke was promoted to the rank of general in the Bundeswehr[6] and became the head doctor of the Bundeswehr hospital in Ulm.[5] Three years later, in 2009, Franke began working at the medical office in Munich.[7] In 2013, she was promoted again, to the rank of two-star general, making her the highest ranking female German soldier in the history of the Bundeswehr, a position in which she commanded more than 300 soldiers.[4] In concert with this promotion, Franke was given command of the Bundeswehr Medical Academy, a position she held until her retirement three years later.[2][8][9]
In her personal life, Franke married and had two children.[5] She remains well known in German military circles, and has been recognized for her service since her retirement.[3]
References
- 1 2 NACHRICHTEN, n-tv. "Ranghöchste Bundeswehrsoldatin geht in Pension". ntv.de (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- 1 2 Ärzteblatt, Deutscher Ärzteverlag GmbH, Redaktion Deutsches (2016-06-30). "Erika Franke: Erste Frau im Rang eines Zwei-Sterne-Generals". Deutsches Ärzteblatt (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - 1 2 3 4 Haase, Dieter. "Erika Franke musste oft ein dickes Fell haben". www.volksstimme.de (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- 1 2 "Familienfreundliche Bundeswehr: Frau General lässt strammstehen". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 NACHRICHTEN, n-tv. "Ranghöchste Bundeswehrsoldatin tritt ab". ntv.de (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-03.
- 1 2 "Sanitätsakademie der Bundeswehr mit neuer Kommandeurin - bundeswehr-journal". 2016-05-15. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
- ↑ "„Servus, Frau Generalarzt"". Deutscher BundeswehrVerband e. V. (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ↑ "NATO's Most Senior Military Women". Global Defense Technology. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Erika Franke: Deutschlands ranghöchste Soldatin geht in den Ruhestand - WELT". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-01.