Updated: 4 October 2000 Who is who in NATO?

Military Representative of Germany Lieutenant General Dr. Klaus Olshausen 2000 -

Lieutenant General Dr. Klaus Olshausen was born in Eisenberg/Thüringen in Germany on April 25, 1945. On graduation from high school he joined the Army corps of engineers of the Bundeswehr and was trained as an officer and platoon leader. After receiving his commission as a second lieutenant, he was assigned as a platoon leader with Heavy Engineer Battalion 210 in Munich in April 1966. From fall 1967 through summer 1972 he studied history and political sciences at the Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, where he graduated with a PhD. In October 1972, he was assigned to Engineer Battalion 6, Plön, where he took responsibility as commander of one of the line companies. In June 1978, he completed general staff officer training at the German Armed Forces Command and Staff College (Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr), Hamburg. After a tour as G2 with 12th Armored Division, Veitshöchheim, he attended the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, USA. Two years as assistant chief of branch in the foreign and security policy directorate at the Federal Chancellery, Bonn, followed. In September 1983, he assumed command of Engineer Battalion 2, Hannoversch Münden tasked simultaneously with the responsibilities as Chief Engineer Officer of 2nd MechInf Division with HQ in Kassel. He returned to Bonn in September 1985 as assistant chief of branch for military strategy in the Planning Staff of the Federal Minister of Defence. In April 1987, he joined the attaché service and, after preparatory training, was assigned as Army attaché to the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., USA. In September 1990, he returned to Germany and took command of the “Oldenburgische” Mechanized Infantry Brigade 31, Oldenburg i.O., just one day after the reunification of Germany. On April 1st, 1993, upon completion of his duties as the chairman of a planning task group, he was assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, Planning, to the Armed Forces Staff, and was promoted Brigadier General at the same time. He left this position in August 1994 and, after an intermediate assignment at the German Army Office, Cologne, was assigned as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff to the newly established Army Support Command, Mönchengladbach on January 2, 1995 where he was charged with the build-up of this Command until the end of the year. He then was posted to the EUROCORPS with its HQs in Strasbourg, France, where on February 1, 1996, he took over the responsibilities of the First Deputy Commanding General, which he held till December 15, 1997. After the change of this rotating position to a Spanish general he continued his duties at HQs EUROCORPS as the German Deputy Commanding General until September 30, 1998. Effective October 1, 1998, he was posted to HQ IV. Corps at Potsdam to become Commander of the Corps troops and Deputy Commanding General. From June 12, 1999 to December 14, 1999, he was assigned to KFOR (KOSOVO). First he was Deputy Commander KFOR (GE) and then, from October 8, 1999, Chief Joint Implementation Commission. From this posting he returned to his appointment at IV. Corps HQ. He assumed his function as German Military Representative to the MC/NATO, Western European Union and European Union on 1 October 2000 with the rank of Lieutenant General. Lieutenant General Olshausen is married (Rita) and has one grown-up son.