Markus Woelke

First Counsellor Markus Woelke has been Vice President of the Federal Academy for Security Policy since May 2024. He is a staunch European and is very familiar with European security and defence policy. He has regularly given lectures at the BAKS on topics related to the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), security in Europe, and NATO.

Markus Woelke was born in 1972 and has a political science background with studies in Bonn, Aix-en-Provence, and at the College of Europe in Bruges. He has been working in the diplomatic service of the Federal Foreign Office for over 25 years. His diplomatic career has taken him to postings in Brussels, Ankara, Paris, Rabat and Rome. He is married to Sandrine, Franco-Belgian, and the father of three sons. It is therefore not surprising that French is the main language spoken at home. In addition, Markus Woelke has been interested in music since his early youth and has been an active musician himself for many years, playing everything from classical to jazz.