Since being founded in 1961, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has shaped German development policy under the leadership of 14 ministers with diverse political and biographical backgrounds. This book offers, for the first time, a systematic analysis of their development policy paradigms, the implementation of these guiding principles, and how they informed the institutional evolution of the BMZ through the end of the Scholz administration in 2025. Combining recent political developments, new empirical data, and cutting-edge scholarly insights, the book provides an unparalleled reference work on the history and practice of German development cooperation. Intended for an expert audience in academia, politics, and practice, it also contributes to contemporary political history. By blending biographical, institutional, and policy-analytical perspectives, the volume opens new avenues for understanding the evolution and governance of state development cooperation.

Dr. Wolfgang Gieler is a Professor at the Department of Applied Social Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Dortmund (Germany) and at Hankuk University Seoul (South Korea).

Dr. Meik Nowak is a Research Associate at Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg (Germany) and a Lecturer at the University of The Western Cape (Republic of South Africa).