Philipp Mißfelder
A rising star in German conservative politics who shaped foreign policy as a transatlantic coordinator before his untimely death.
1979–2015 (age 36)·German politician·Birthday: August 25·Generation X
Biography
Philipp Mißfelder was viewed for years as the fresh face and future of Germany's Christian Democratic Union. Elected to the Bundestag at just 24, he brought a new generational energy to the party. His political identity was deeply intertwined with a staunch pro-American stance and a focus on robust transatlantic relations, views he championed both as a parliamentarian and as the long-time chairman of the Young Union. His expertise earned him the role of Coordinator for Transatlantic Cooperation in Chancellor Angela Merkel's government in 2014, a position that aligned with his lifelong advocacy. His sudden death at 35 cut short a career that many believed was destined for the highest offices, leaving a palpable gap in his party's next generation of leadership.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Philipp was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Philipp Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Philipp's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
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
2015Died at 36
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Served as the Federal Chairman of the Young Union, the youth wing of the CDU/CSU, from 2005 to 2014.
- Appointed as the German government's Coordinator for Transatlantic Cooperation in 2014 under Chancellor Angela Merkel.
- Elected as a member of the German Bundestag in 2005, becoming one of its youngest members at the time.
- Served as the foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
Did You Know?
He was a trained historian, having studied the subject at the University of Potsdam.
He was an avid fan of the football club FC Schalke 04.
He published a book in 2011 titled 'German Foreign Policy: The Future of the German Role in the World.'
“A strong transatlantic partnership is the cornerstone of our free and secure Europe.”
