Klaus Scharioth has served as Germany’s ambassador to the US since March 13, 2006. Born in Esse, Rhine-Westphalia, he studied political science, sociology and psychology at The College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho and law in Bonn, Freiburg and Geneva. He earned three degrees at the Fletcher School, Tufts University, where he studied international relations, international law and international economics and received his PhD in 1978.

 

Scharioth’s first posts were in Quito, Ecuador (1979-1982) and at Germany’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City (1986-1990). In the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he served in the Asia, press and State Secretary’s offices (1977-79), in the policy planning staff (1982-1986), and in the international law division (1990-1993).

 

Scharioth was director of the private office to the NATO Secretary General in Brussels, Belgium, from 1993 to 1996. In the Foreign Ministry he held posts as head of the Defense and Security Policy Division (1996-1997) and as head of the International Security and North America Directorate (1998-1999).

 

Scharioth was appointed head of the Office of Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel in 1998. Under Joschka Fischer, Scharioth became political director (1999-2002), before serving as State Secretary of the German Foreign Office from 2002 until being chosen for his ambassadorial post.