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Concise Curriculum Vitae: Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke

The current Landrat (County Governor) of the Rhine County of Neuss, Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke, took office on 21 October 2009. As candidate of the Christian Democrats he was elected with 57.4 percent of the vote in the North-Rhine Westphalian local government elections. He lives in the town of Grevenbroich, is married and father of two children.

Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke was born on 27 May 1956 in Troisdorf (located between Cologne and Bonn) where he also passed his Abitur (approximately equivalent to the American SAT exam) in 1974.

After taking his Zweites Juristisches Staatsexamen (the German equivalent to the

Bar exam in the U.S.) at Bonn University he started his career at the Rhine County of Neuss in 1984: first as lawyer in the county’s legal office, which he was in charge for from March 1985. Four years later Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke became Department Head for legal, regulatory, youth and social affairs.

In 1996 Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke was elected as Executive Administrative Officer by the County Council. After being confirmed in this position in 2003 he successfully went for the Landrat elections in 2009.

Explanation of the term Landrat

The Landrat as Head of the County Authority is elected by public vote. He is Chairman of the County Council, Chief Executive Officer of the County Administration and represents the county outside. The County Administration carries out statutory and voluntary duties and implements the decisions of the County Council. As well as self-government duties, the Head of the County Authority also carries out duties for the State. Under this "executive loan" arrangement the Head of the County Authority is responsible for local government supervision, directs the County Police Authority and, together with the school inspection, sets up the schools office.