Christian Wulff
A German president whose swift rise to the highest office was followed by a historic, scandal-cut short resignation.
Born 1959 (age 67)·President of Germany from 2010 to 2012·Birthday: June 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Christian Wulff's political story is one of rapid ascent and abrupt, unprecedented fall. A CDU member known for his centrist, modernizing approach, he built a solid reputation as the Minister-President of Lower Saxony, focusing on economic policy and education. In 2010, at just 51, he became Germany's youngest federal president, a role seen as the culmination of a steady career. His tenure, however, lasted less than two years. Allegations concerning favorable loans and political favors, which he fiercely denied, led to a loss of moral authority and unrelenting media pressure. In February 2012, Wulff resigned, the first German president to do so because of a criminal investigation. Though he was later acquitted of all corruption charges, his resignation marked a profound moment in German politics, a cautionary tale about the intersection of public life and personal scrutiny.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Christian was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Christian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the President of Germany from 2010 until his resignation in 2012.
- Was the Minister-President of the state of Lower Saxony for seven years, from 2003 to 2010.
- Elected as Germany's youngest-ever federal president at the age of 51.
- Successfully advocated for the expansion of all-day schooling in Germany during his time in Lower Saxony.
Did You Know?
He is of Catholic faith in a historically Protestant-dominated political party (CDU).
His resignation in 2012 was the first by a German president since the office was established in 1949.
He was acquitted of all corruption charges by a court in Hanover in 2014.
He published a memoir titled 'In the Eye of the Storm' after leaving office.
“I am resigning from the office of the Federal President because I have lost the trust necessary to perform my duties.”
